Red Peppers

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Nutrition

Red peppers are very high in vitamin C and bioflavonoids. They are

much higher in beta-carotene than green or yellow peppers and contain

vitamin B6 as well as capsaicin, a natural painkiller which is

considered to be useful for arithitic pains. Experts consider red

peppers to be especially beneficial against cancer and heart disease.

Like all peppers, they also contain Lutein and Zeaxanthin which helps

protect again certain age-related eye problems.

Calories in Red Peppers:

4 oz/100g = 32 calories

 

Recipes :

 

Red Pepper and Fennel.....

 

Serves 4-6 as a first course

 

4 large red peppers

2 small bulbs fennel

1 x 14 oz (400 g) tin Italian plum tomatoes

8 dessertspoons extra virgin olive oil

1 rounded teaspoon mixed pepper berries

¾ level teaspoon whole coriander seeds

½ level teaspoon fennel seeds

juice ½ lemon

finely chopped spring onion for garnish (optional)

sea salt

 

Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 4, 350°F (180°C).

 

You will also need a shallow baking sheet (I use a Swiss-roll tin).

Slice each pepper in half lengthways, cutting right through the green

stalk end and leaving it intact; though it won't be eaten, it adds

much to the look of the thing. Remove all the seeds. Place the pepper

halves on the baking sheet, then drain the tomatoes (you don't need

the juice), and divide them into eight equal portions, placing each

portion inside a pepper half.

Now pare off any brownish bits of fennel with your sharpest knife and

cut the bulbs first into quarters and then again into eighths,

carefully keeping the layers attached to the root ends. Now put them

in a saucepan with a little salt, pour boiling water on them and

blanch them for 5 minutes. Then drain them in a colander and, as soon

as they're cool enough to handle, arrange two slices in each pepper

half. Sprinkle 1 dessertspoon of olive oil over each one, using a

brush to brush the oil round the edges and sides of the peppers.

Next, lightly crush the pepper berries, coriander and fennel seeds

with a pestle and mortar or rolling pin and bowl, sprinkle these

evenly all over the fennel and peppers, and finish off with a

grinding of sea salt. Then bake the peppers for about 1 hour on a

high shelf in the oven until they are soft and the skin wrinkled and

nicely tinged with brown. After removing them from the oven, sprinkle

the lemon juice all over, cool and serve garnished with a little

finely chopped spring onion or as they are.

This recipe is taken from Delia Smith's Christmas.

 

Roasted Red Pepper And Dill Hummus.....

 

Ingredients:

• 1 medium red pepper

• dill, as desired

• 2 cups hummus mix

• 2 cups water

 

Directions:

Roast the red pepper on your stove burner until the skin is black.

Then run cold water over it while you peel the skin away. Chop in a

food processor. Add dill.

 

Mix hummus mix and water. Add red pepper mixture. Cover and

refrigerate.

 

Roasted Red Pepper Soup.....

 

Ingredients:

• 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil

• 1-2 medium onions, chopped

• 2 cloves garlic, minced (optional)

• 2-3 ribs celery, chopped (or 1/4 c. celeriac, chopped)

• 3 carrots, chopped

• 1/2 a cauliflower, chopped (optional)

• 1-2 turnips, chopped (optional)

• 2-3 red peppers, chopped and seeded

• 1 large potato, chopped

• Water or vegetable broth (enough to cover veggies)

• 1/2 tsp. herbes de provence (optional)

• 1 bay leaf (optional)

• 1/4 c. (or more) fresh parsley, finely chopped

• Pinch salt

• Fresh pepper, to taste

 

Heat oil, onion, garlic, celery or celeriac, carrots, and red pepper

in a saucepan on high heat. Once the onions are translucent, add

cauliflower, turnips, and potato. Add enough water or broth to cover

the veggies. Add herbes de provence and bay leaf, then cover the

saucepan. Bring soup to a boil, remove the bay leaf, and then

transfer it to a blender and blend it until smooth (in batches).

Lower the heat and add parsley. Cover and let simmer for a few

minutes. Taste your soup and add salt and pepper if you wish.

Tips

If you want, you can roast the onion and the red pepper in the oven

first (400 F for 20 min), but the soup tastes delicious even if you

don't.

Try making this soup with orange and yellow peppers instead of (or in

addition to) red peppers.

Instead of blending the soup, simmer it for an hour or two on medium

low heat. The broth becomes very colorful, flavorful, and sweet from

the peppers.