Bell pepper: season and benefits
Seasonal calendar - Bell pepper
Nutritional values
Red bell pepper is one of the vegetables richest in vitamin C (150 mg/100g) and beta-carotene.
Storage
Bell peppers keep 8 to 10 days in the fridge vegetable drawer. Red peppers keep less well than green ones as they are riper. They freeze sliced in strips without prior blanching. Grilled peppers keep for several weeks in olive oil in the fridge.
Origin
The bell pepper originates from Central and South America, where it has been cultivated for 7,000 years. Christopher Columbus brought it to Europe in 1493, confusing it with pepper. Cultivation developed first in Spain, then throughout the Mediterranean. A red pepper is simply a green pepper that has ripened longer on the plant.
Cooking Bell pepper
Goes well with
Recipe ideas
- Ratatouille
- Stuffed peppers
- Basque piperade
- Grilled pepper salad
- Red pepper gazpacho
Did you know?
Red bell pepper contains twice as much vitamin C as green, and even more than an orange: 150 mg versus 53 mg per 100 g.