Holland Jalapeño Chile Peppers
Estimated Inventory, lb : 0
Description/Taste
Holland Jalapeño chile peppers are curved to straight pods, averaging 5 to 15 centimeters in length and 2 to 5 centimeters in diameter, and have a conical shape tapering to a rounded point on the non-stem end. The skin is shiny, firm, and smooth, ripening from dark green to red when mature. Underneath the surface, the thick flesh is crisp, green, and aqueous, encasing a central cavity filled with membranes and small, round, and flat, cream-colored seeds. Holland Jalapeño chile peppers have a bright, vegetal, and grassy flavor mixed with a moderate level of spice.
Seasons/Availability
Holland Jalapeño chile peppers are available year-round.
Current Facts
Holland Jalapeño chile peppers, botanically classified as Capsicum annuum, are one of the most popular specialty peppers in the Netherlands and belongs to the Solanaceae or nightshade family. The Netherlands is known for its advanced, technological greenhouses which produce highly flavored, quality produce, and it is one of the top countries in Europe to cultivate and export peppers. Grown in these greenhouses and also grown at satellite fields in select warmer countries during the winter season, Holland Jalapeño chile peppers are a moderately hot variety ranging 2,500-8,000 SHU on the Scoville scale and are available year-round for use in culinary applications. Holland Jalapeño chile peppers have seen commercial success in Europe due to a culinary movement for spicier flavors in dishes. This movement has primarily stemmed from a sizeable Asian immigrant population that has settled into Europe, who is willing to pay a premium for specialty, spicy peppers. The desire for more exotic dishes has also spurred the sales of Holland Jalapeño chile peppers as chefs are using both the green, young peppers and mature, red peppers for their grassy, earthy flavor and sufficient heat.
Nutritional Value
Holland Jalapeño chile peppers are an excellent source of vitamin C and contain copper, magnesium, vitamins A, E, and K, folate, manganese, fiber, potassium, and iron. The peppers also contain capsaicin, which is the chemical compound that triggers the brain to feel heat or spice. Capsaicin has been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties and can help aid in digestion.
Applications
Holland Jalapeño chile peppers are best suited for both raw and cooked applications such as roasting, baking, grilling, simmering, and stir-frying. When raw, the green peppers can be minced into hot sauces, marinades, and salsas or diced into guacamole for added heat. They can also be mixed into cheeses, spreads, and dips or finely chopped and used as a topping on tacos. In addition to fresh applications, Holland Jalapeño chile peppers are sliced and tossed into soups, chilis, and stews, used as a topping on pizza, layered into wraps, burgers, and sandwiches, cooked into jelly, or baked into bread and scones. They are also stuffed with grains, meats, and cheeses and baked, roasted, or fried, or the peppers can be pickled for extended use as a spicy condiment. Holland Jalapeño chile peppers pair well with cheeses such as feta, cheddar, goat, gouda, and cream cheese, fruits such as pomegranate, mango, kiwi, and avocado, eggs, legumes, corn, tomatillos, sweet peppers, and meats such as beef, pork, fish, and poultry. The fresh peppers will keep up to one week when stored whole and unwashed in a paper bag in the refrigerator. The peppers can also be frozen up to three months.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
In Amsterdam, burgers with unique ingredients became a trending meal in 2018, with many restaurants centering their menus around the bun and meat staple. With its increased popularity and notoriety through social media platforms, the burger movement was so widespread that the trend was even given the nickname “burger bonanza.” In 2019, the movement shifted to a focus around plant-based burger ingredients, and Holland Jalapeño chile peppers were frequently seen as toppings on both plant-based and meat-filled burgers. Diced into guacamole, sliced and neatly layered, or minced and blended into the patty, Holland Jalapeño chile peppers are highly favored in Amsterdam for their moderate levels of spice.
Geography/History
Holland Jalapeño chile peppers are cultivated in the Netherlands, but jalapeños were originally native to Xalapa, the capital city of Veracruz, Mexico. Spanish and Portuguese explorers introduced the pepper to Europe and Asia in the 15th and 16th centuries, and since then, the peppers have become highly cultivated in greenhouses in the Netherlands. The peppers are also grown in warmer regions of Morocco, Belgium, and Spain during the winter season. Today Holland Jalapeño chile peppers are cultivated and sold through select growers and can be found at specialty grocers and farmer’s markets across Europe.
