Purple Holland Bell Peppers
Estimated Inventory, 10 lbs : 0
Description/Taste
Purple Holland bell peppers are medium to large in size, averaging seven centimeters in length and five centimeters in diameter, and are rounded, square, and globular in shape with 3-4 lobes and a thick green stem. The smooth skin is firm, glossy, and pale green when young transforming to lilac or deep purple when mature. Underneath the skin, the pale green flesh is thick, juicy, crisp, and succulent with a hollow cavity that contains very small, flat cream-colored seeds and a thin membrane. Purple Holland bell peppers are crunchy with a sweet, semi-bitter taste.
Seasons/Availability
Purple Holland bell peppers are available in the late spring through fall.
Current Facts
Purple Holland bell peppers, botanically classified as Capsicum annuum, are a sweet variety that grows up to sixty centimeters in height and are members of the Solanaceae family. Purple Holland bell peppers mature 65-70 days after planting and have historically been grown in the Netherlands, where the practice of cultivating the peppers in hothouses under controlled temperature and light was pioneered, allowing for consistent fruit size, dense flesh, and higher yields. In Holland, there is even an advanced water system that is run by computers and uses water droplets with added nutrients to monitor the growth of the fruits and reduce waste. Purple Holland bell peppers are favored by chefs and home cooks for their unusual coloring and sweet flavor.
Nutritional Value
Purple Holland bell peppers contain vitamins A, B6, and C, manganese, potassium, folate, fiber, and anthocyanins, which are antioxidants that can help boost overall health.
Applications
Purple Holland bell peppers are best suited for both raw and cooked applications such as baking, stir-frying, roasting, sautéing, stewing, and grilling. When used fresh, their vibrant coloring is showcased in green salads, on vegetable platters with dips, or in a mixed pepper salad served over flatbread. The peppers can also be stir-fried with meat and other vegetables, grilled and layered on sandwiches, cooked and blended into soup, or roasted with potatoes and onions to make a breakfast hash. It is important to note that the bright coloring will be lost in cooking and the peppers may turn the dish a pale grey, blue, or purple. Purple Holland bell peppers pair well with faro, pasta, brown rice, quinoa, thyme, rosemary, sage, basil, fennel, eggplant, corn, cucumber, tomatoes, ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, green onion, poultry, fish, scallops, olives, cannellini beans, and balsamic vinegar. The peppers will keep up to one week when stored unwashed in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
There are many different varieties of purple bell peppers including merlot, purple beauty, violetta, purple belle, lorelei, tequila, and islander, and each variety matures and transitions to its purple coloring at different times. In the past decade, Purple Holland bell peppers have been valued for their unusual coloring but have recently increased in popularity due to their antioxidant content. Purple foods are being marketed for their health-boosting properties and are also gaining awareness via social media platforms as a colorful ingredient to add visual depth to culinary dishes.
Geography/History
Bell peppers are indigenous to tropical America and have been growing since ancient times. Portuguese and Spanish explorers are credited with spreading sweet peppers from the New World to the Old World, and the Purple Holland bell pepper was created in Holland in the early 1980s. Today Purple Holland bell peppers are found at local farmers markets and specialty grocers in Europe, Asia, South America, and North America.
Recipe Ideas
Recipes that include Purple Holland Bell Peppers. One
is easiest, three is harder.| Eat Spin Run Repeat |
|
Chopped Chicken Salad To Go |
| East of Eden |
|
Purple Bell Peppers |
