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Gernika peppers available from May to October. The indicated price is for 5 dozen, 60 Gernika peppers. The minimum order quantity is 5 dozen. If more than 5 dozen are desired, add 5 to 5 dozen bell peppers.

Receive high-quality Gernika peppers, hand-selected to avoid peppers with folds, directly from the Biscayan orchard. They will all be straight and between 6 and 9 cm in length.

Gernika peppers

The Gernika Peppers are a variety of pepper from the province of Vizcaya, the result of the adaptation that the native American species has undergone to the climatic conditions of the area. Its color is intense green and its shape is elongated and pointed. It has a long peduncle and its size ranges between 6 and 9 cm. On the palate, its meat is fine and soft, and it does not itch. It is preferably consumed fried, turning out to be a good companion for various dishes of seasonal products.

The ideal time to consume Gernika peppers is from the end of April to November.

The production area corresponds to those areas with an Atlantic climate in the Autonomous Community of the Basque Country that have a real evapotranspiration index greater than 585 mm, a fundamental climatic factor as it has a direct impact on the characteristics of the pepper. These areas provide the ideal conditions for cultivation, which could be summarized as: high relative humidity, moderate temperatures, low temperature fluctuations, slightly acidic soil, sufficient air circulation to favor the movement of pollen between the different plants. Harvesting will take place mainly between April and November. Harvesting will be manual and staggered, making as many passes as necessary; this will be done at the point of optimal development of the product. It will be done carefully, in order not to damage the fruit. The collected peppers will be transported in boxes or rigid containers avoiding at all times their crushing to the conditioning warehouse. The Gernika pepper was initially known as the Biscay Pepper. It is a variety that has adapted perfectly to the climate and the palate of the Basques. It has differences with other green peppers in the characteristics of the fruit, both in the thickness of the pulp (less in the Gernika pepper), and in the presence of a thick epidermis that forms a "parchment" as well as in the intensity of the color and of the taste. The Biscay pepper was formerly a crop focused primarily on the production of already ripe peppers (as red fruit), that is, the production of chorizo ​​pepper. Later it was dried in strings and kept dry for use in the preparation of sausages and as a condiment for the preparation of sauces and stews highly appreciated in the gastronomy of the Country: Cod a la Vizcaina, al pil-pil, garlic soup...

Preparation

Wash the Gernika peppers in plenty of water and dry them with a cloth. We place a frying pan with abundant olive oil on the fire, two fingers high, and bring it to a high heat. At the moment that we see that the oil is very hot, but without smoking, we pour the peppers, those that enter the base of the pan, if necessary we fry them in two or three batches. We turn them carefully with tongs and let them fry for a maximum of 20 seconds, it is just put them in the hot oil and on a tray with absorbent paper. Watch out for splashes!

Once they are all fried, we season them and serve them before they cool down. That they never turn golden, they must have a nice green tone and offer a slight resistance when biting them, with an orchard flavor.