5 Creative Ways to Use Banana Peppers
If you're a backyard gardener, you're probably used to having more vegetables than you know what to do with. Maybe you're one of those people walking around the office or the neighborhood with a basket of zucchini, practically begging someone to take it off your hands. There are just some veggies that grow like crazy. And the banana pepper is no exception. It's easy to grow, comes in both sweet and hot varieties and is a good source of fiber, beta-carotene, and vitamins A and C. You'll know when a banana pepper is ready to be picked because it's yellow in color and the shape of a banana. Hence the name.
So, what do you do with a bushel of banana peppers? You can only eat so many banana-peppered salads. Click ahead for five ways to use your peppers.
5: Peppery Pizza
Sure, pepperoni, mushrooms and sausage are great pizza toppings, but how about looking to your backyard garden for veggie toppings? It'll be healthy and tasty at the same time.
Banana peppers are tangy and sweet, so their flavor mixes well with cheese and other toppings; think cured meat or a green leafy vegetable, like spinach or arugula. Here's a quick recipe:
Make your own pizza dough and sauce (or buy some at the grocery store). Roll out your dough, leaving a border around the edge for your crust. Ladle on a thin layer of sauce, spreading it around with the back of the ladle. Sprinkle on grated mozzarella cheese. Next, place a layer of torn arugua leaves on the pie. Top with small sliced pieces of cured Italian salami. Top the whole thing off with sliced rings of banana peppers. Bake on a baking sheet for 20 to 25 minutes at 450 degrees. Top with grated parmesan cheese. Delicious!
4: Pickled Peppers
If you're dealing with a serious bumper crop of banana peppers, think about pickling and canning them. That way you can use up a whole lot in one go, and also enjoy your banana peppers all year round. Plus, the pickled peppers are delicious in a variety of meals, especially on top of hamburgers and hot dogs during picnic season. (And, "pickled peppers" is really fun to say.)
We won't get into the details of canning here -- if you've never done canning before, we recommend you read up on that first to ensure you sterilize everything safely. Following is the typical pickling recipe for banana peppers. You can always add ingredients to customize it -- some people like to add jalapeno peppers for a kick of heat; some add garlic. Be creative.
First you'll wash about three pounds of peppers, then remove the stem ends. Slice them into rings about a quarter inch thick. In a saucepan, bring 5 cups cider vinegar, 1 1/4 cups water, 5 tsps canning salt, 2 tbsps celery seed, and 4 tbsps mustard seed to a boil. Put some dry celery and mustard seed into the jars. Then fill up the jars with your peppers and cover with the boiling liquid. Can according to instructions.
Use your pickled peppers on sandwiches, in salads, in pasta, on burgers -- anything that sounds good to you!
3: Stuffed Banana Peppers
We've all seen stuffed green peppers. Not everyone likes the taste of bell peppers, though. How about trying it with banana peppers? Banana peppers have a much milder taste than bell peppers, and bring a different flavor to the traditional dish of stuffed peppers. You can make stuffed peppers meaty or meatless, depending on your preference. If you don't eat meat, think about using rice, quinoa or some other meat alternative.
Use about a pound of meat for every four good-sized banana peppers. Use mild or spicy, whatever your preference. Slice the top of the pepper, making it into a sort of flip-top. Brown sausage or ground beef in a skillet and set aside. In a large bowl, mix bread crumbs, Romano cheese, an egg, and some salt and pepper together. Stir in the meat and add more bread crumbs/cheese or another egg, depending on how moist or dry you want the stuffing. Gently fill the peppers with the stuffing and close the tops of the peppers. Fry the peppers in olive oil until each side is browned. Serve with a bit of marinara sauce and some grated cheese on top, if desired.
Fried banana peppers are a Southern favorite, served as an appetizer or as a side dish next to roasted ham or fried chicken. You can fry fresh banana peppers, pickled banana peppers, mild peppers or spicy peppers -- whatever you like best. The recipe is super simple and everyone loves them. Here's how to make deep fried banana peppers:
The secret to the Southern recipe is saltine crackers. Wash the banana peppers and slice lengthwise. Remove seeds and pat dry with a paper towel. Soak the peppers in milk, then dip in a mixture of flour and crushed saltine crackers. Fry in hot vegetable oil until golden brown. Remove with tongs, drain on paper towels, and serve while still warm.
Fried banana peppers taste great on their own, with cocktail sauce or even with ranch dressing for dipping. Give your family a variety of dips to choose from!
You've probably had -- or at least seen -- jalapeno poppers at a local restaurant. A very popular appetizer, poppers are peppers split open, filled with cream cheese and deep fried. If you like poppers but don't like the spiciness of jalapenos, why not try some banana pepper poppers? You can get the yummy taste without the heat, and you can make them at home.
Wash the banana peppers and pat dry. Cut in half lengthwise and remove seeds. Fill each half with cream cheese. Here comes the good part. Wrap a small (about a third of a slice) piece of bacon around each pepper and stick a toothpick through to hold. Place them on a baking sheet and bake at 375 degrees until the bacon is crispy. Warning: These are addictive!
For variations on the theme, mix in shredded cheeses like parmesan, Gouda or Monterey Jack. Forgo the bacon altogether if you don't eat meat or don't like bacon. Or, top the cream cheese mixture with bread crumbs. Add salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika -- whatever floats your boat.
For more about peppers and cooking, check out the links on the next page.