Chile Pepper Fun Facts - The Pimentos Pepper
What Are Pimentos, and How Are They Used?
Whether they're stuffed in the olive in your martini glass, pureed in a cheese dip, or dried and turned into paprika, pimentos, which are sweet peppers most closely associated with Spain, are a triple treat. They work as a garnish, an ingredient, and a spice. How's that for versatile?
Pimentos, also referred to as pimientos, are a type of pepper with a sweet flavor and very little heat. This nightshade is also known as a cherry pepper because of its red color and round, heart-shaped fruit. They usually measure about 3 to 4 inches long and 2 to 3 inches wide, with a short, thick green stem.
It's possible you've consumed pimentos and don't even know it. Some regions of Spain and the United States use pimentos in their mix of paprika, a popular spice made by grounding various peppers to a fine powder. Many chefs prefer the mild, sweet flavor of paprika made with pimentos over the heat of other spices, such as cayenne.
As with other peppers, you discard the stems when prepping them. It's commonly diced and stuffed into Spanish or Manzanilla olives in Mediterranean cuisine. Stateside, pimento-stuffed olives make a traditional garnish for martinis and are found in the pimento loaves our grandmas used to slice and serve for sandwiches.
Pimentos are also a key ingredient for a favorite dinner party appetizer, pimento cheese, sometimes referred to as "the caviar of the South," as a spread on crackers or bread. Or stuff them with rice or cheese and serve them as a handheld appetizer on their own, like in stuffed mini peppers.
Beyond those applications, you can use pimentos anywhere you'd use a bell pepper. Think about Mexican fare, chilis, and soups, as they're great with beans and in tacos, but also mixed in with pasta, risotto, and other grains, too.