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Cubanelle Peppers Delivery or Pickup
The Instacart guide to Cubanelle peppers
About Cubanelle peppers
The Cubanelle pepper, also known as a Cuban pepper or Italian Frying pepper, is usually 5 to 7 inches long with a slightly curled end. It's a sweet pepper, and when it's ripe, it's bright red, orange, or yellow. They're in season in the late summer and early fall, depending on the region, and they are typically imported to the U.S. from the Dominican Republic. Cubanelle peppers originate in South and Central America, and the hearty peppers are a traditional addition to their cuisine. Spanish and Portuguese explorers introduced them to Europe, so they're also quite popular in Italian food. They're a choice substitute for Anaheim peppers, bell peppers, or banana peppers.
How to pick out Cubanelle peppers
While on the plant, Cubanelle peppers start out green or yellow-green. As a rule, these peppers are picked before they are completely ripe. As they ripen, they grow longer, and their ends curl as they lengthen. If left to ripen long enough, they will turn bright orange, yellow, or red. Choosing Cubanelles at the local farmers' market, grocery store, or ordering them via Instacart, depends on when and how you want to use the peppers. The younger they are, the less developed their capsaicin and bright flavor.
Avoiding peppers that are on the verge of spoiling is easy. Wrinkled skin is a sign the peppers have dehydrated and become less appetizing. The skin should be smooth, firm, and have a little shine. Soft areas mean they're rotting. Fuzz near the stem or curled end of the pepper is mold. Cracks usually mean someone dropped the pepper. If you'll use them soon, this might be fine, but it means they'll rot faster. Spots are a sign of disease, and holes mean insects have eaten their way inside.
How to store and preserve Cubanelle peppers
Fresh and whole, you can store these peppers in your crisper drawer, and they will last for weeks. After you've cut them, any unused pepper stored in an air-tight container will last a few days.
You can preserve peppers long-term by roasting or steaming them before putting them in a jar with a little vinegar, sugar, salt, and olive oil. You can also preserve peppers in a sauce with a vinegar or tomato base. They will last this way for several months. Both preservation methods require canning equipment. Dehydrated peppers will last months in a sealed glass jar. You can rehydrate them to use in soups and sauces, or you can grind dried peppers and use them as a spice in dishes.
Cubanelle Peppers Near Me
Buy your favorite Cubanelle Peppers online with Instacart. Order Cubanelle Peppers from local and national retailers near you and enjoy on-demand, contactless delivery or pickup within 2 hours.
FAQs about Cubanelle peppers
Cubanelle peppers aren't spicy, but they have more tingle than a typical sweet pepper. Cubanelles taste like pepper mixed with honey. The flesh and skin are thinner than a bell pepper, and they have a nice snap and tender texture while they're raw. Using the Scoville scale for comparison, the Cubanelle averages 0 to 1,000 Scoville Heat Units while a Jalapeno averages 5,000 SHU. For another comparison, a Poblano Pepper ranges from 1,000 to 1,500. So a Cubanelle is much milder than a jalapeno, but they are comparable to the mildest Poblanos at their spiciest.
These peppers are a traditional ingredient in sofrito, which is a tomato, pepper, and garlic-based condiment similar to salsa. It's used liberally in many Latin-Caribbean and Slavic dishes. The sweetness and slight heat from Cubanelles pair well with rich foods like cheese, meats, and sauces. In Sicily, they stuff these peppers with pine nuts, bread, and seasonings and bake them.
The thinness of these peppers combined with their low water content makes them a perfect topping for a classic Italian sausage sandwich. They're also perfect thinly sliced and added to an omelet, casserole, or salad and as a pizza topping in place of bell or banana peppers. You can also roast or grill them, similar to roasted red peppers. You can also use Cubanelles as a slightly warmer alternative bell pepper. Stuff them with goat cheese, chicken, turkey, sausage, or your favorite stuffed pepper ingredients.
To prep a Cubanelle pepper, first, remove the stem by cutting off the top. Then decide how much of its warmth you want in your dish. If you want your food super mild, first cut the pepper in half and remove the seeds and ribbing at the center of the pepper. If you'd like to keep the little spice this pepper has intact, keep the seeds as you slice the peppers for your meal. By keeping the ribbing and seeds in the dish, you're preserving the capsaicin and imparting its mild spice into your food.