By Elizabeth Olson, CPH
Mixed savory and sweet peppers fresh from the garden can be used to make delectable pepper sandwiches.
Each pepper plant will produce many peppers, and pepper sandwiches are a great way to utilize the pepper harvest.
Pepper plants are easy to grow and make decorative additions to any garden.
Behnke’s savory and sweet pepper selection includes:
- ‘Banana Supreme,’ a long, tapered, thin-walled wax pepper. The pepper color changes from light green to red as it matures. It can be harvested when it is yellow-green to red, but still firm. All-America Selections winner in 1941
- ‘Carmen,’ an Italian-style bull’s horn (corno di toro) pepper that ripens to carmine red. It has thin skin and thick walls. Harvest it when it is mature, but still firm. All-America Selections winner in 2006
- ‘Cubanelle,’ a thin-walled, long, lobed pepper that matures from light green to yellow-green to red. Best picked when yellow-green
- ‘Giant Marconi,’ a long, tapered 2- to 4-lobed pepper matures to a deep red. Harvest it when it is either green or mature, but still firm. All-America Selections winner in 2001
- ‘Jimmy Nardello,’ an heirloom Italian frying pepper that matures to a bright red. This long, slender pepper has a small seed cavity. Harvest it when it is mature, but still firm
- ‘Mandarin,’ an extra-large, thick-walled, lobed sweet pepper that matures to a brilliant orange-red. Harvest it when it is mature, but still firm
For a rich and tangy flavor, include ‘Holy Molé,’ a long, slender pasilla pepper that matures to a deep chocolate brown. It should be harvested when it is deep green or mature, but still firm. This cultivar was named an All-America Selections winner in 2007.
Select several different types of peppers. Cut the peppers in thin slices, being careful to remove stems, pith, and seeds. Peeled, thinly sliced sweet onions can be added to the mix. Add enough olive oil or grape seed oil to lightly coat the pepper and onion slices. Gently sauté the medley until the slices start to soften; test for flavor.
Spicy heat can be added at this time with a small amount of either ‘Cayenne’ or ‘Super Cayenne II’ peppers that have reached maturity and that are red in color. It is highly recommended to wear gloves when handling these peppers. Most of the heat is located in the tissues that hold the seeds. Only add a small amount of either of the Cayenne peppers and their seeds, then stir and test for flavor. Repeat this step, as necessary, until you obtain the desired amount of spicy heat.
Continue to sauté the peppers and onions until the slices are tender. The medley can be served warm or chilled as a sandwich filling.
