Author: Cyndie Story
Last saved by: michelle.armstrong
Company: Culinary Solution Centers, LLC

Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program
Vegetable Preparation Methods and Tips

Segment 33: Pepper

Chef Cyndie: The bell pepper; is it a fruit or a vegetable?  Ah, it is technically a fruit, but most often used and thought of as a vegetable. Choose firm, brightly colored peppers with tight skin that are heavy for their size. Avoid dull, shriveled peppers.  When you cut into a pepper and the seeds immediately fall off, this is a sign of an old bell pepper.

Bell peppers are an excellent source of vitamins A and C.  Bell peppers are crunchy and delicious eaten raw.  They also come in a variety of colors to catch your customer’s eye.  Red, green, yellow, and even orange.  You can almost eat the rainbow just in the bell pepper family.

There are several options in preparing bell pepper sticks. First, rinse the pepper.  My favorite way is to remove the top and the bottom with a chef’s knife.  Don’t throw this away, these can be used as sticks, or save and dice for another recipe, such as salsas or salads.  Next, cut down the side of the pepper.  Leave the tip of your chef’s knife in the pepper while laying it on its side.  Use the chef’s knife to cut around the pepper’s core and remove.  If there is any additional white pith, remove with your knife.  Now, you can make your strips by laying the pepper skin side down and make 1/4 to ½ inch slices. 

If you need dices, turn the strips a quarter turn, and cut into small, medium, or large dices. How easy was that?  Ok, not as easy as buying it already pre-cut by the manufacturer.  If you are buying peppers pre-cut, be sure to use before they get slimy.

You want to be the bell of the ball?  Then eat more fresh fruits and vegetables every day.