When we lived in France we grew Piment Doux des Landes, a mild pepper that
was delicious sautéed in olive oil. Last
year Paul was unable to find these plants in the UK so he was delighted when he
managed to source some seeds from Fothergills, a well known seed supplier. The plants have done well in the potager
although the peppers have remained quite small, not long and thin like the ones we are familiar with.
Today Paul decided to crop some of the peppers and prepare a special lunch for Kat. It was going to be a real feast with home made bread, charcuterie and cheese. I dipped the bread into the oil that he had fried the peppers in, savoured the flavour and immediately started to cough and splutter. “Don’t eat the peppers!” I shouted.
I drank a whole glass of water to douse the burning sensation. Paul was mortified. The mild peppers that we expected from Piment Doux des Landes were definitely not doux! They are red hot chillies!
You need milk to counteract the heat. I guess that Mr Fothergill was having a laugh.
ReplyDeleteI used wine instead of milk. It didn't counteract the heat very well but it made me very happy.
DeleteIt is difficult not to laugh - but red hot chillies are no laughing matter. As YP suggests milk would probably ease things
ReplyDeleteIt was quite a shock but we did laugh about it.
DeleteOh dear! We have a very healthy plant covered in small green / turning red peppers. They are called "super chile" and my son wanted to plant it because he likes hot sauce. We tried the first red pepper and it was impossibly hot - we did drink milk, ate crackers, and generally shouted and stamped until the fire dissipated! I have no idea how anyone can use them in food, or to make salsa or sauces with. -Jenn
ReplyDeleteI don't mind a small amount of hot chilli in cooked meals but I'm not so keen when it actually burns your mouth.
DeleteThere is perhaps a unique way of preparing them that tones down the heat. I'm not a fan of spicy stuff either.
ReplyDeleteThey are just a very different plant to the ones we grew in France. More a hot chilli than a mild pepper.
DeleteI grow these every year, and (so far) have never had a hot one. Many years ago my sister sent me some Pepper seeds from NZ which seemed to be a random mix of hot and mild; one had to test each one. My latest idea is to eat the long peppers with some Mayo. I cook them as usual, then squirt the Mayo on.... they're even more delicious.
ReplyDeleteDo you grow from seed or buy in plants?
DeletePlants from Gamme Vert.
DeleteIf you do not touch or eat the white seeds inside the peppers it is less spicy.
ReplyDeleteI only tasted the oil they were cooked in!
DeleteOh we so get that. Years ago I worked in a kitchen in NZ where we were putting circles of small sweet peppers onto salads, only to start having randoms ones sent back (by indignant customers) who wanted to know if we were trying to poison them. The hot ones and the sweet ones looked absolutely identical, and we had to sample a slice out of every one of them. You have my greatest sympathy for the 'error'.
ReplyDeleteWhen we tried to grow hot chillies in France we ended up with mild peppers! You just can't trust the pesky plants.
DeleteMy P is doing the food shopping at a local small Tesco, and the other day he brought back a large jar of "Chilli sauce"...but being an amateur food shopper he didn't notice it also said HOT ! I used it yesterday with some beef mince etc and luckily I tasted it before we got round to eating any. I had to dilute it with a jar of tomato and basil sauce and it was still quite " hot", but at least edible!
ReplyDeleteI made that mistake once with hot chilli powder. I had to double the other ingredients to try and tone it down but it was still very hot.
DeleteI like hot chilli pickle.
ReplyDeleteI prefer my chillis not so hot.
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