Chile piquín ✦

Chile piquín

What it is

This is the wild ancestor of every domesticated Capsicum annuum — bell pepper, jalapeño and poblano all descend from it. Birds swallow the fruit whole and carry the seed off because they lack the receptor capsaicin acts on, which is the reason the plant makes the compound at all.

In the kitchen

The heat arrives fast and leaves fast, unlike a habanero, so season at the end and taste at once rather than waiting for it to bloom. Crush between the fingers rather than grinding; a mill turns the whole batch to dust that goes flat within weeks.

Goes with

Lime Tomato Avocado Cilantro / Coriander Corn Peanut Mango Onion

Same species

Ají amarillo Ají panca Ajvar Aleppo pepper Ancho chilli Bell pepper

In season alongside

Agrumato lemon oil Water pepper (tade / benitade) Blackcurrant leaf Chili pepper Grapefruit Hogweed shoots

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