Produce Spotlight: Habanada Peppers
You've heard of the Habanero pepper, now meet the Habanada, it's heatless sibling.
Michael Mazourek breeded this pepper at Cornell University as part of his doctoral research. He got the idea after randomly coming across a heatless pepper whose genetics behaved very differently from a naturally sweet pepper like the Bell. This pepper had naturally mutated in the field and lost whatever made it spicy in the first place. So, he began the journey to create a heatless habanero.
Chefs love habaneros because of their floral, melon-like flavor. But, the heat can be too intense for some diners. When the habanada was crafted, it became an instant hit with chefs and farmers alike.
Habanadas are sweet, crisp and juicy like a habanero, just without the burn. This way, you can snack on them raw and enjoy the flavor.
Here are some ways to enjoy habanadas:
- slice for a crunchy, fresh garnish
- pickle them
- make into a pepper jelly
- blister in a cast iron like you would a shishito
- blend into a puree
- chop and add to a salad
Create your own habanada recipe? Share with us info@localroots.nyc !
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