Grow Your Own Magazine

I've had a great year for chillies and peppers . Bumper crops and more on the way so looking for ideas for ways to use them apart from in sauces.
The chillies are quite mild so are edible whole.
This one worked well.
Hot Wax or Big Jim peppers split longways - seeds removed
Cream cheese, little lemon juice, some lemon zest, crushed garlic mixed together.
Pile into the chillie halves, dust with paprika and under the grill or in the oven for 10 minutes. Lovely. Any other ideas.

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From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs.

You could also try stuffing them with cooked rice, mushrooms and garlic (a bit of bacon too if you're not vegetarian. I have to say I use most of mine in curries, chillies, salsas and pasta sauces. They dry well too, so you can use them throughout the year.

Thanks Rustylady. Yes, I have plenty of recipes for the sauces and salsas but the bacon sounds like a good idea mmmmmmmmm bacon, tomato , cheese, herbs. Could be good.

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From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs.

I've used most of my currently ripe chillies (more to come I think) to make chilli jam. I only have cherry toms this year so I used tinned toms. 2 large tins, chopped, whizzed in the blender with the chopped chillies, bit of garlic, minced fresh ginger then stewed up with a slack handful of brown sugar and a cup of red wine vinegar. I suspect you could use any vinegar but that's what I had in. I also added a dash (or several) of Worcester Sauce. Boil it up till it thickens and pot in hot jars.

It's based on Sarah Raven's recipe but I always adapt a bit depending on cupboards' contents.

Brilliant on a cheese sandwich, under the cheese on cheese-on-toast, spread on a floury tortilla before adding grated cheese or ham and home grown salad stuff then rolled artistically etc. I also spread it on grilled tuna steaks then put them back under the grill for a minute. Even OH who reckons not to like the stuff enjoyed this. You could do it with chicken too.

Mine have been the small fiery chillies Alice - I wish I had some stuffable ones!

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Earth laughs in flowers. Ralph Waldo Emerson

www.vegheaven.blogspot.com

Updated November 30th - Mr Stinky's Excellent Adventure (and a Christmas Cake)

Thanks Flummery. For stuffable ones try Hungarian Hot Wax and Big Jim next year. I have plenty of seeds so if you want some PM your address.

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From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs.

Thanks for the kind offer Alice, - I've PMd you.

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Earth laughs in flowers. Ralph Waldo Emerson

www.vegheaven.blogspot.com

Updated November 30th - Mr Stinky's Excellent Adventure (and a Christmas Cake)

Lucky you! My chillies barely grew and am hoping to get one or two from the plants I moved indooors!

Anyway, here's a recipe for Toritos: slit open jalapenos and de-seed (keep tail), also make some basic batter with beer and flour. Dice onions, tomatoes, and prawns, mix all with a bit of parsley, season to taste and fill jalapenos with prawn mixture. Dip stuffed chillies in batter and deep fry until golden. Serve with lime juice.

If you have large chillies such as poblanos, they taste wonderful stuffed with anything! Mexican favourites are cheese or refried beans. But they taste nice also stuffed with plantain mash or mince meat.

If you want any Mexican recipes just ask!

Thanks for that mapcr77. I had thought about prawns and your recipe sounds good so I'll give it a go.

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From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs.

Just got my first chilli gone orange - yay!! I think I need to wait a bit as it is supposed to be red ........ but was wondering what to use it in. I should have alot more as there are plenty on the plants and this one seems to have gone orange pretty quick. The chilli jam sounds great Flum.

And Alice, the stuffed long chillis look and sound fantastic, I'll have to have a go at them next year! Your red chilli seeds are doing very nicely, they should be the next crop.

I;ve never grown chillis or peppers before, so this is a real treat for me.

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Aerodynamically the bumblebee shouldn't be able to fly, but the bumblebee doesn't know that so it goes on flying anyway.
~ Mary Kay Ash

I love this recipe, made 10 jars a few weeks ago (won't last long though!) you can use it as a dip, maranade, stir fry, or in whatever your cooking but it's scrummy with cheese n bread!

Thai Sweet Chili Sauce


2 ounces (56.7g) fresh red chilies, roughly chopped (remove seeds if less heat is desired)
3/4 (170g) sugar
1 cup (227g) white vinegar
4 cups (113g) sultanas, chopped (white raisins)
1-2 clove garlic, finely chopped
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh ginger
1/2-1 teaspoon salt (to taste)

1 1/1. Place chilies in a food processor with half the vinegar and process until the chilies are finely chopped.
2. Do not be concerned if the chili seeds remain whole.
3. Combine the chili and vinegar mixture with the remaining vinegar, and all other ingredients, in a small stainless steel saucepan (take care adding the salt- you can always add more later if you wish).
4. Stir over low heat until sugar dissolves, bring to the boil briefly, then reduce temperature to allow the mixture to simmer gently until the chilies and sultanas are soft, about 15 to 20 minutes.
5. When cool, puree until almost smooth.
6. Pour into a suitably sized sterilised bottle and seal.

Mmm... all those recipe ideas sound scrummy! I've got green Jalapenos by the shed-load, and have been stuffing them with mild creamy cream cheese. On my way back home in the truck this afternoon, I had a brainwave.... Put Hot with Hot?
My idea: Halve the Jalapenos, take out the seeds and papery membrane (keep the tail, very useful as delicate handle!) and stuff with a mixture of creamy Philadelphia, chopped Chorizo, chopped chilli flesh & a squeeze of limejuice over the top. Eat raw, accompanied with a glass of very chilled dry white.....
I think I'll use myself as Guinea Pig, as I'm always game for a Giraffe, and if it's promising, I'll try it on Trousers and the rest of the gang this weekend.

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With Love,
Wellie

Give it some....

http://hollycottagegarden.blogspot.com
BLOG UPDATED Sunday 2nd November at 19.30hrs

Sounds lovely Wellie! Def going to try these Jalepeonooeee things next year.

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Aerodynamically the bumblebee shouldn't be able to fly, but the bumblebee doesn't know that so it goes on flying anyway.
~ Mary Kay Ash

If you blow my head off with these you will be in big trouble, missy! NO - I don't mean that ..... they sound jus' scrummy!

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Hazel
www.hazelandjanesallotment.blogspot.com
update Sun 30/11/2008......Indoor Allotmenteering too!.....

Haze,
Be very scared darling. Trousers tried a couple this afternoon, and he reckons they are superb for tomorrow's picnic. See you when you get there Angel! X

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With Love,
Wellie

Give it some....

http://hollycottagegarden.blogspot.com
BLOG UPDATED Sunday 2nd November at 19.30hrs

Sorry to be very dim here, but what sort of jars do you use to store chilli sauces in (thinking especially of thai sauces and the like, rather than jams)? Because they're runnier than the chutneys I usually make, I'm a bit wary of using jamjar types? Do you think I could recycle bought thai sauce jars with screwtops or wouldn't they last very long stored this way? Any ideas or suggestions gratefully taken up!

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Life may not be the party we hoped for but since we're here we might as well dance

Hi moggssue!

Yes, I'd say you're on exactly the right lines: recycle bought thai sauce bottles with screwtops. Just a different shape from a jamjar, that's all!

__________________
With Love,
Wellie

Give it some....

http://hollycottagegarden.blogspot.com
BLOG UPDATED Sunday 2nd November at 19.30hrs

Cheers Wellie, can't wait to try some of the lovely sounding recipes you folk have put up here, we just love chili in our house so recycling the bottles isn't a problem haha!

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Life may not be the party we hoped for but since we're here we might as well dance

Any one got a recipe for chilli jelly, tried some at the cheese festival a few weeks back.....mmmmm fantastic. hope to have some chillis to pick soon...taking ages to show signs of red this year!

Hello Headfry!

Jup, I've got one, which allegedly makes 7 x 8oz. jars:

4oz. chilli peppers
6oz. sweet peppers
2 1/2 lb. jam sugar
24 fl.oz cider vinegar

Deseed chillies & peppers & chop very finely. Lay on piece of kitchen paper to absorb juices.

Dissolve sugar in cider vinegar & add chillies and peppers. Bring to rolling boil.

Remove pan from heat and allow cool for 20 mins.

Let cool, stirring occasionally until the chillies and peppers are supended in the jelly. This could take half hour or more.
Ladle into sterilised jars.

__________________
With Love,
Wellie

Give it some....

http://hollycottagegarden.blogspot.com
BLOG UPDATED Sunday 2nd November at 19.30hrs

Thanks Wellie, sounds just the job, Cant wait for red chilli peppers now- So late in the season though, fingers crossed
HF
x