How to cook with capsicum

When we think of capsicums, we think of sun-kissed Mediterranean meals like peperonata, ratatouille and stuffed capsicums. But this fruit, yes, fruit not vegetable, adds its distinct flavour and abundant nutrients to all sorts of dishes. Here’s how to cook with capsicum and some delicious recipes to try this summer.

Capsicums for courses

Red capsicums seem to get all the love, however there is a time and place for using green, orange and yellow capsicums. Each colour brings a different flavour and nutrient profile to the table.

• Green capsicums are the immature fruit that if left on the plant would turn yellow, then orange and finally red. They are the most bitter of the capsicum varieties and work better when cooked longer or when combined with the other colours.

• Yellow and orange capsicums are milder and slightly sweeter than the green capsicums and add crunch and colour to salads or are delicious when charred slightly on the barbecue as this brings out their sweetness.

• Red capsicums rule supreme in terms of their all-round flavour. Raw, grilled, stuffed or slow cooked, red capsicums can do no wrong. And let’s not forget the amazing levels of vitamin C and phytonutrients that provide. Get them now at their peak.