Yellow Bell Peppers

Photo: flickr user clayirving

About

Bell peppers are part of the nightshade family of vegetables together with tomatoes and eggplants.

Orange or yellow bell peppers are more mature than green bell peppers, and are harvested before they fully mature and turn red.

They have a slightly fruity taste and are rich in Vitamins A & C, and Beta Carotene. They contain more vitamin C than oranges.

Information

Other names: Yellow Peppers, Yellow Capsicum, Sweet Yellow Peppers

Translations: LCD paprikos, Ardei galben Bell, Žuta Paprika, Żółta papryka, Gele paprika's, पीले घंटी मिर्च, Желтый перец, Κίτρινη πιπεριά, الفلفل الأصفر, 경고 벨 페퍼스, Žlutou paprikou, 黄色甜椒, Pebrots grocs Bell, Rumene Peppers Bell, Žltou paprikou, Peperoni gialli, בל פלפלים צהובים, Gul paprika, Жута бабура паприка, イエローピーマン, Poivrons jaunes, Gelbe Paprika, Gul Bell Peppers, Gul Bell Peppers, Pimientos amarillos Bell, Жовтий перець, Keltainen paprikaa, Жълти чушки

Physical Description

Yellow bell peppers are three- or four-lobed fruits of the capsicum annum species. They are more mild in taste than many peppers, and so are known as sweet peppers. They are mostly hollow, having flesh about 1/4" thick and contain seeds near the stem end, held in place by a thick soft membrane.

Colors: Yellow. They can be harvested when unripe, when they are green.

Tasting Notes

Flavors: sweet, mildly spicy

Mouthfeel: Crisp when raw, Tender when cooked

Substitutes: Green bell pepper, Orange bell pepper, Red bell pepper, Yellow banana pepper.

Selecting and Buying

Seasonality: january, february, march, april, may, june, july, august, september, opctober, november, december

Peak: june, july, august, september

Choosing: Chose firm peppers with no breaks in the skin. Make sure that the skin is smooth with no wrinkling.

Buying: Yellow bell peppers can cost more than their green counterparts. (The green bell peppers are simply harvested when not yet ripe.) Yellow bell peppers are a little sweeter, and are often chosen for their better presentation, but they do contain more nutrients. Look for yellow bell peppers at farmers' markets locally.

Procuring: Bell peppers are a nightshade, and are very easy to grow. They do well in hot weather, as long as there is enough rainfall. Otherwise, they need to be irrigated. They do not need a long growing season. They will continue to produce until a freeze.

Preparation and Use

You may prefer to cut around the stem and gently pull the seed area out. You may also cut the pepper in half from stem end to blossom end, and scoop out the seeds. The pepper can be sliced or chopped or diced, depending on the recipe. Yellow bell pepper can be eaten raw or cooked.

Cleaning: Wash gently. You may prefer to use a citric acid wash, available in your supermarket or grocery store.