Green bell pepper

Halve it and remove the stem, seeds and white ribs, then roast cut-side down at 220 °C for about 20–25 minutes, until the skin is blistered and the flesh is tender. Cover it for a few minutes after roasting if you want the skin to loosen for peeling.

Choose one that feels firm and heavy for its size, with taut, glossy skin and a fresh-looking stem. Avoid soft patches, wrinkles or damp spots.

Keep them unwashed in the fridge’s vegetable drawer and use them within about a week for the best crunch. Once cut, seal them in a container and use within a few days.

It pairs especially well with onion, tomato, garlic and cumin. Cook it with those ingredients for fajitas, or add it to jambalaya, where it is one of the classic aromatic vegetables.

Yes. Red bell pepper works in the same dishes, but it is riper, sweeter and usually less grassy-tasting than green; use it when you want a gentler, sweeter flavour.

Green bell peppers are picked before they fully ripen; they turn red as they mature. That is why green ones tend to taste more grassy and slightly bitter, while red ones are sweeter.

Yes. Rinse it, cut away the stem, seeds and pale inner ribs, then slice or dice the crisp flesh for salads, sandwiches or dipping.