Pimenton de la Vera PGI - Smoked Paprika

What is Vera pepper?

Pimenton de la Vera is a paprika that has a protected designation of origin. To obtain this PDO, it must be produced in the province of Caceres in southwestern Spain. Chilli pepper is a bell pepper native to South America. During his travels, Christopher Columbus brought this bell pepper to Isabella I of Castile, better known as Isabella the Catholic. She herself introduced the pepper to the monastery of Yuste. The Jeronimos monks who lived there decided to cultivate this bell pepper in the heart of the Gredos mountain range, which enjoys a favorable climate. Since then, the pepper of La Vera has become a kind of institution, as it is used to make the famous Spanish chorizo, but also the paella.

What is the flavor of the pepper of the Vera?

The Vera pepper can be declined in several flavors, more or less spicy. I propose you here a medium pepper to satisfy all the palates. It has a smoky taste with fruity notes. That's why some people call it smoked paprika.

The harvest of the pepper of Vera in the plantations

The Vera pepper is grown in a specific region of Spain. This PDO pepper grows on plants that can reach 1 m in height. The fruits are picked when they are ripe before being hung in a dryer to be smoked with beech wood. This is what brings the smoky note to the Vera pepper. This drying stage lasts about 15 days. For a drying in the rules of art, peppers are turned regularly. Once dried, the pepper is crushed with a stone grinder.

How to use the chilli pepper of Vera in cooking?

The Vera pepper, even if I propose it here in a medium version, remains a hot spice. It is found in the chorizo, it is it which brings this power and its single taste to him, but also its red color. For the amateurs of pronounced flavours, the pepper of Vera finds its place in a paella to offer him a beautiful color and an inimitable taste. Star of the Spanish cuisine, this pepper is also used to make patatas bravas, potatoes with a hot sauce. Have you ever tasted eggs flamenco style? It is a pure delight. It is a stew of chorizo and various meats, according to your taste, cooked with chorizo and pimento de la Vera. Before serving, fried eggs are placed on the stew. If you like salads, the chili pepper will find its place in a dish composed of artichoke hearts, peppers, tomatoes and dried Spanish ham. Also for those who like slightly spicy dishes, I recommend you to put some chilli pepper in stuffed tomatoes, they will take another dimension. Naturally, this medium pepper will be perfect for all your marinades of meats and fish cooked in the oven, on the plancha or on the barbecue.

The virtues for the health of the pepper of Vera

The pepper or paprika will seduce you by its gustatory qualities, but not only. This spice is rich in iron. It is a source of potassium, vitamin E, vitamin K and vitamin B2. An explosive cocktail for your well-being.

I deliver my Vera medium pepper in a resealable bag. Keep it preferably protected from light and humidity.