How to cut a pepper? Evgenia Rusinova/Getty Images
Bell peppers are a particularly popular summer vegetable for lovers of Mediterranean cuisine. Cold, hot, in a salad or grilled, this sweet pepper is available according to your preference. But before you can taste it, you still have to cook it. Here are some tips and tricks to help chop peppers quickly and easily.
Before slicing the pepper, cut out the pulp
Often feared by beginners, emptying a pepper is not particularly difficult, but requires some technique. The method is like child’s play once acquired and practiced. Here’s how.
- Place the vegetables on their side on a cutting board to easily cut off the top (cap). Twist the pepper with one hand while the other firmly cuts the stem and flesh.
- Insert a knife into the vegetable from the top to cut off the white edges that connect the outer envelope to the heart and which contain the seeds. Remove them when each of them is disabled.
- Remove any remaining seeds by tapping the pepper face down on a cutting board or by rinsing the vegetable.
At this point, the pepper is completely gutted. It can be used like this, for example for stuffing or cut in different ways depending on the planned recipe.
Cut the bell pepper
This is probably the most commonly used size in French cooking. For success in dicing, top chefs recommend removing the skins from the peppers before you begin. The easiest way to do this is still with a vegetable peeler, which in a back and forth motion will allow the vegetable to get rid of its protective envelope. Here’s how to make beautiful sliced peppers:
- Remove the stem from the vegetables and cut in half. Carefully remove the pimples by running under running water if necessary and then drying.
- Cut each half lengthwise into sticks. Rotate this 90° so you can cut them to make more or less large dice depending on the desired result.
Brunoz cutting involves making very small dice (2 to 3 mm). Cut the mirepois into cubes of approximately 1 cm side.
Cut the bell pepper into julienne
For unseasoned chickpeas in culinary parlance, the term “julienne” can be substituted for “pieces” or “sticks.” Especially appreciated for making vegetable juliennes, the strip cut is ideal for peppers. Therefore, it is recommended to start the operation by first removing the skin from the vegetable. Indeed, the skin of the pepper sometimes brings an unpleasant note of bitterness. After this step is completed, the rest of the process continues in several stages.
- Using a knife, cut the pepper at the level of each crease formed on its surface, starting from the stem (top) to the bottom. Repeat the operation on each fold so that the vegetable is divided into several parts.
- Clean each part of its pimples and also remove the white parts that may remain at the level of the edges.
- Cut the pepper into fairly thin slices and as evenly sized as possible.
Practical tips for cutting peppers
A few details are important for cutting peppers quickly and efficiently. In particular, the quality of the equipment used is an essential prerequisite for working in good conditions and minimizing the risk of layoffs. The skin of the pepper is often quite thick, a very sharp knife is necessary. The cutting board should be clean and heavy enough not to move. When it comes to choosing peppers, it is recommended to choose a vegetable with a firm surface, wrinkled and unblemished. They will be easier to work with and taste better.
For cutting peppers quickly and easily without getting seeds everywhere, quarters are ideal. The proof is in the video.
Source: Le Figaro
