‘No-heat’ habanero chili
Habanero chilis tend to be well beyond my comfort level when it comes to spicy foods.
I am much more accustomed to working with jalapeño and serrano peppers when making sauces, salsas, soups, stews or anything else that requires a little extra kick.
Recently I discovered these “no-heat” habanero chilis grown by “BD” Dautch of Earthtrine Farm of Ojai, which pack in all the flavor of the habanero — without that intense burn.
This variety can be incorporated into an array of dishes that typically call for fresh peppers, including this week’s Fix of the Week, below: a slow cooker fresh pepper chili. These chilis can be used to prepare “no-heat” habanero chili poppers, blistered in a hot pan, sliced thin and served over pasta, or over a salad.
Certified organic is available. You can find “no-heat” habanero peppers at the week Saturday Santa Barbara and Tuesday Santa Barbara farmers’’ markets. Price is $4 per pound for this fun farmers’ market find.
Pink lady apples
Delivering the perfect balance of sweet and tangy notes, this variety of apple is recognized by the pink blush on its outer skin. One of my favorites for pies, cobblers and crisps, it is also a great general eating apple.
This variety was originally developed in Australia, the result of a cross of a Lady Williams and Golden Delicious apple.
Apples are generally an excellent source of vitamin C, as well as a good source of fiber, and contain smaller amounts of vitamin A, iron, potassium, folate and calcium.
You can currently find pink lady apples at the weekly Saturday Santa Barbara, Sunday Camino Real Marketplace and Tuesday Santa Barbara farmers’’ market from Fair Hills Price.
Price averages $3.50 per pound.
Delicata squash
These are one of the prettiest winter squash varieties around.
The yellow squash’s thin alternating stripes of red, orange, yellow and/or green look as though they are painted across the outer surface.
Inside lies the yellow to orange flesh that is thick and firm, becoming quite smooth once roasted in the oven.
This smaller winter squash not only acts as a nice holiday décor for the house, they are absolutely delicious to eat, whether roasted and stuffed, or as they come with a little added butter and brown sugar. The thin skin is edible when cooked so it does not need to be peeled.
Delicata squash is a good source of vitamins A, C and some B vitamins, as well as potassium, fiber and beta-carotene. Certified organic is available.
They are found from several local farmers at the weekly Saturday Santa Barbara, Sunday Camino Real. Tuesday Santa Barbara, Wednesday Solvang and Thursday Carpinteria farmers’ markets. Price averages $1.50 per pound.
