I bought a single Anaheim pepper plant from the Corner Store Nursery this spring. One of my other transplanted pepper plants died and I needed something to replace it. I had never heard of an Anaheim pepper, but the tag said it was a “hot” pepper and several in my family enjoy hot peppers. So, I decided to give it a try.
It turns out that the pepper was not hot at all, at least when compared to a jalapeno. It is very mild and tasty when mixed raw in salads and Mexican dishes.
Yesterday, for the heck of it, I slipped in a few Anaheim’s with some jalapenos I was roasting as an experiment. I would later use the jalapenos as a garnish for tacos, and I tasted the roasted Anaheim Peppers. They were sensational – not a bit hot, but very rich and yummy. They would be good as side dish for Mexican or especially burritos or tacos or any Mexican dish.
I also discovered a secret to remove the skins after roasting any peppers. Roast the peppers in a 425 oven for about 15 minutes (until the edges turn brown) and then immediately put them in a pot with a lid. When they cool, the skins slide tight off.
Peppers, I have found, are a very cooperative plant for a backyard gardener. While they take their sweet time growing (they do not like the cool evenings of May), when they finally take off in June, you get non-stop peppers. A single plant can easily produce 50 or more peppers.
Next year, I will have at least two Anaheim pepper plants. I’m excited about all the culinary possibilities of these tasty and prolific plants.