Another first for me

My first red chillie.. ever:gnthb:

 

Well done Robert!

Remember to handle with care and on no account rub your eyes after handling one. They bite.

 

You're addicted - I can tell!

Make sure you get to eat it too!

What variety are they ?

Last year we had 1 plant, this year about ten.

Fruits can be frozen whole in polythene bags, and used from frozen!

 

I hope I will be addicted to these Cheyenne chillies.
I have three plants about 5 foot tall and three about 18" all loaded with fruit.
Its the first time for me and I have to say they are looking like one of my successes this year.
Thanks for tips on preserving. I also have a dehydrator I shall be using to dry some for winter use.

 

You never can tell with these chillies. One year pleasingly hot. The next utterly volcanic! I think on the whole I prefer the former. You can always add more.

 

I wouldn't go with the dehydrator route myself. We have bags of chili's in the freezer over a year old and they cook just great from frozen.

We use a half dozen or so a week, and never seem to run out. Somewhere, I have a great recipe for Chili & Sweet Pepper chutney - let me know if you're interested !

 

I have just one problem oktarine the OH will not go any where near chillie!
All the more for me of course, but that means our freezer which is already well packed will be bulging. I think a compromise is required so drying seems a good option.
robert

 

" I also have a dehydrator I shall be using to dry some for winter use."

Only problem I have had with drying is keeping them dry. They are fine in a self-sealing plastic bag ... but I open mine every day to get a chilli or two out, and after a few weeks the whole lot need drying again. Dead easy to just crush over the food of one-person (my DW doesn't care for them either), but maybe that would be true of frozen ones too, and no problem with them rehydrating.

Perhaps I'll try half-and-half this year.

 

Agree K. Half and half sounds good to me. I reckon its handy to just break some off from dried fruit and use just the amount you require.
Thats the plan anyhow.
I am slowly getting together a collection of kilner type jars for storage of dried stuff which seem to doing the job ok at the moment.
I dried 12 bananas the other day and got them all in one 1ltr jar!
When a whole banana is just to much a few slices added to your breakfast cereal makes for a powerful flavour. Kiwi fruit is even more concentrated!
When a have a few ripened chillies the plan is to make up a batch for the drier. Chillies, garlic, parsley, mint, and maybe some rosemary.
The smell from that lot while drying should be quite interesting.
Best done in the conservatory with the ouside door open me thinks!
robert

 

Capney,
New kilner jars from Wilkinson's start at £1.99 , in case you didn't already know.

My OH would rather trawl round boot fairs looking for the older types!

 

Thanks oktarine
Have to admit Im thinking of heading for our local car boot sale this Sunday
God knows what I might come home with !