Los Angeles, Ca, July 12th, 2016 – We all know what bell peppers are. They are those beautiful waxy vegetables (sometimes categorized as fruit) that come in a four typical colors of green, red, orange and yellow. In spite of knowing what bell peppers are and what they look like there are still so many of you who may not know the best way to cut them.
Knowing your struggles we put together a quick food hack video that is under a minute and a half about “how to cut a bell peppers” in four different sizes: diced, strips, large squares and a large piece.
Each size of bell pepper can be used in different ways. For instance the curved cut bell pepper can be used for salads and pizzas. The diced bell pepper can be used as garnish or pasta dishes. The large chunks can be used in shish kabobs or roast chicken dishes. Last but not least the larger piece can be used in veggie platters or crudités (same as a veggie platter).
What is the white interior and can we eat it?
Yes, the white interior is called the pith and it is edible. It doesn’t hold much flavor and if you are cutting the bell peppers for garnish or adding it to a dish that requires pretty presentation remove it. The pith can easily be removed by flipping the bell pepper so the pith is facing up and then with an angled knife slide it under the white part to release it from the red flesh.
Sometimes when I cut a bell pepper it has a strange weird green part in the inside. What is it and is it edible?
A swirly green thing can be found when the bell pepper grows another bell pepper inside of itself. It is safe to eat, but the best thing to do is to remove it with your knife or fingers.
What do you do with the top and bottom curved part of the bell pepper?
You can chop it up like the rest of your bell pepper, but if you are creating a really nice dice and don’t want the uneven shapes of the top and bottom than just save it for omelets or soups.
Every time I go to cut a bell pepper my knife won’t go through the waxy exterior and it seems there is always some pieces that are still joined. Help?
The easiest way to prevent your bell pepper from being joined after you’ve cut them is to cut them interior first and waxy side down. Next make sure your knife is sharp along the entire blade. If your knife isn’t sharp in some places the pepper may not be cut all the way through.
Now it’s time to watch the food hack. This video was inspired by all of the children I teach every summer. Bell peppers are always a great fruit/vegetable to get them started. The wide variety of color as well as their sweet nature makes them a great food to introduce them to.
Don’t forget to let us know you were here! Tell us what is your favorite color of bell pepper and what do you cook with them?
