Poblano peppers
Poblano peppers can vary greatly when it comes to heat from mild to hot, but generally speaking, they fall in the moderate category.
Recognized by their glossy green skin and elongated physique, they are ideal for adding to soups and stews, chili recipes, stir-fry’s and stuffing.
Poblano peppers are also the go-to peppers for homemade chili relleno recipes.
This week I prepared a blistered poblano pepper and chèvre omelet as the Fix of the Week, elsewhere on this page.
When left on the plants to fully mature, poblano peppers take on a red color. If you’ve ever experienced dried ancho chiles, those were derived from fresh poblanos.
You can find freshly harvested poblano peppers at all weekly Santa Barbara certified farmers’ markets from several local producers. Price averages $3 per pound.
Yardlong beans
Also referred to as a snake bean, China long bean and asparagus bean, these long and slender fresh green beans average about 18 inches in length and have a pleasing snappy texture.
With mild notes of sweet and bitter throughout, yardlong beans are excellent in both raw and cooked preparations. I most regularly sauté my yardlong beans with pepper, carrots and garlic.
They have very small beans encased within the pods, delivering a more dense texture than other fresh beans you may encounter.
Rich in vitamins A and C, they are additionally a good source of dietary fiber, magnesium, folate, potassium and iron.
Yardlong beans are available from both Her Family Farm and Moua Family Farm at the Saturday Santa Barbara and Sunday Camino Real Marketplace farmers’ markets. Price averages $3 per bunch.
Flavor gold pluots
Upon first glance, many think this variety of pluots was harvested well before it was ripe due to its green and yellow skin.
However, flavor gold pluots are indeed ready to eat and are quite the sweet summer treat.
The flesh is firm when ripe, and the skin delivers a nice underlying tartness. A plum apricot hybrid, the flesh takes on a pale yellow color, unlike many of its pluot counterparts that are shades of pink, red or purple.
The firm texture lends well to slicing, but they can also be enjoyed right out of hand as you would an apple.
Flavor gold pluots are available from Burkdoll Farms at all weekly Santa Barbara certified farmers’ markets. Price is $4 per pound or $3.50 per pound when purchasing 6 pounds or more.
