Cubanelle Italian Green Chile Peppers
Estimated Inventory, 10 lbs : 0
Description/Taste
Green cubanelle chile peppers widely vary in shape and size depending on the climate they are grown in, but the peppers are typically elongated and thin, averaging 10 to 15 centimeters in length and 5 to 7 centimeters in diameter. The pods may appear folded, twisted, or straight with slight tapering on the non-stem end, and have smooth, glossy, and pale green, thin skin. Underneath the surface, the flesh is thick, lightly striated, pale green, and crisp, encasing a central cavity filled with a few round and flat, cream-colored seeds. Green cubanelle chile peppers are crunchy with a sweet taste mixed with a very mild heat.
Seasons/Availability
Green cubanelle chile peppers are available in the summer through early fall.
Current Facts
Green Cubanelle chile peppers, botanically classified as Capsicum annuum, are the young, early harvested versions of a sweet pepper that belongs to the Solanaceae or nightshade family. Also known as Cubanella, Friarelli, and Aji Cubanela, Green cubanelle chile peppers have a very mild heat, ranging 100-1000 SHU on the Scoville scale, and are most well-known as an Italian frying pepper or cooking pepper. Green Cubanelle chile peppers are favored for their sweet taste and thick flesh and are a staple ingredient in Cuban, Puerto Rican, Italian, and Dominican cuisine. The peppers are popularly fried, sautéed, or grilled and are also consumed fresh, out-of-hand as a sweet, zesty snack.
Nutritional Value
Green cubanelle chile peppers are an excellent source of vitamin C, which is an antioxidant that can help build collagen in the body and boost the immune system. The peppers also contain some potassium, vitamin A, folate, manganese, and vitamin K.
Applications
Green cubanelle chile peppers are best suited for both raw and cooked applications such as roasting, frying, grilling, baking, and sautéing. When fresh, the peppers can be sliced and layered into sandwiches, chopped and tossed into salads, or sliced into strips and consumed on appetizer plates. Green cubanelle peppers can also be diced and stirred into soups, topped over pizza or pasta, stuffed with meat or cheese, baked into casseroles, or fried in olive oil. In Cuba, the peppers are popularly used in sofrito, which is a style of cooking that consists of lightly sautéing peppers, tomatoes, onions, garlic, and cilantro and is used as the base for many different recipes including soups, stews, rice, and bean dishes. The peppers are also sometimes used in yellow mole sauce. Green cubanelle chile peppers pair well with meats such as chorizo, turkey, beef, and poultry, onions, garlic, herbs such as basil, cilantro, and thyme, spices such as cumin and paprika, and cheeses such as pepper jack and manchego. The peppers will keep up to one week when loosely stored whole and unwashed in a plastic or paper bag in the refrigerator.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
In the Marche region of Italy, whole Green cubanelle chile peppers are traditionally pickled between layers of grape pomace, also known as pressed grapes, for 4 to 6 weeks. The pickled peppers are then cleaned, sliced, and served with olive oil, salt, onions, or olives over fresh baguettes. In the Naples area, the sweet green chile peppers are known as Friarelli and are cooked with tomatoes, garlic, and onion, while in Sicily, Sicilians enjoy Green cubanelle chile peppers baked with a pine nut and bread crumb stuffing. Green cubanelle chile peppers are also popularly served in sausage sandwiches across regions of Italy and are sold through street vendors for an on-the-go meal.
Geography/History
Green cubanelle chile peppers are descendants of peppers from South and Central America and were introduced to Europe by Spanish and Portuguese explorers in the 15th and 16th centuries. The sweet peppers are believed by the majority of experts to have been first cultivated in Italy, but its origins are mostly unknown with a few experts tracing it back to Cuba. Green cubanelle chile peppers were introduced to the United States in 1932, and today the majority of Green cubanelle chile peppers are exported to countries around the world from the Dominican Republic. Green cubanelle chile peppers can also be found on a smaller scale at local farmers markets throughout Europe, the Caribbean, and the United States.
Recipe Ideas
Recipes that include Cubanelle Italian Green Chile Peppers. One
is easiest, three is harder.
