Yellow and sweet or red and mildly spicy? We love peppers in every version, especially when they come from far away...
⏱ 2 MINUTES READING

As it is known, children always emulate adults and so did I in my childhood. And if you’re so lucky to spend most of the time with your grandparents, to grow up with them, it is impossible not to gain a large variety of knowledge, attitudes and art of getting by, that would have been difficult to learn in other ways. Let’s add a green space, animals and a lot of curiosity and there you go, the game is done.

The first grass cutting, the first egg collected in the henhouse, the first goose run and the first vine pruning. So many memories. But the first conquest has been my first square meter in my grandpa’s vegetable garden. I was allowed to plant whatever I wanted! To be fair, it would have been silly to plant something I disliked and, at that time, I only enjoyed courgettes (especially fried) and peppers. Given the space I had at my disposable, the choice was almost obvious: one yellow and one red!
HORN PEPPER
Typical of Central America, it is a horn shaped vegetable. It arrived in Europe due to the Conquistadores and, for its high temperature resistance, it found its ideal climate in Sicily and later on in the rest of Italy. Its shape is not the only thing that sets it apart from the classical pepper: the yellow one is generally sweeter, while the red one is slightly spicier. Both have a light acidity as a common feature.

Fun fact: they have a really thin skin so they’re easily digestible!
BAO BAN
Bao bun, smoked chicken breast and pepper, mint and almonds’ pesto.

We can’t talk about peppers without suggesting a classic pairing with chicken! In this case, given the softness of the Bao and chicken, we searched for the crunchiness in the pesto, without chopping excessively the almonds. On the palate, sweetness is indeed the dominant taste. The Bao and the smoked chicken give roundness, which however gives a nod to the pepper’s acidity and to the mint’s freshness.

THE COLD DISH
Steak tartar, rosemary’s savoury pastry and peppers gelato.

A summer dish that plays with contrasts. Different temperatures and textures and a delicate sweet and savoury mix. The savoury pastry gives the crunchy texture to the dish, while its rosemary’s scent matches perfectly with the taste of the meat – seasoned with salt, pepper, oil, mustard and shallot – and with the pepper. The gelato, rather delicate, will clean the palate, leaving an enjoyable fresh feeling.
If you want to obtain a more delicate gelato, use a part of yellow peppers.

THE RISOTTO
Peppers, anchovies, stracciatella and coffee powder’s risotto.

While someone sees it strictly as a winter dish, others (me included) would eat it happily all year round. In this case we used a classical Carnaroli rice, creamed with a roasted pepper’s sauce. Its sweetness is well sustained by the coffee’s roasting: they merge perfectly, creating an astounding contrast. The stracciatella makes the bite softer, balancing the saltiness of the anchovies.

Giacomo Chinellato
Sales Manager