Chile Peppers Recipes
Chile Peppers Recipes Pepper Recipes and Information

Mirasol Chile Pepper

Mirasol Chile Pepper Stats

Name: Mirasol
Length: 3 - 5"
Width: ¾"
Scientific Name: Capsicum annuum
Other Names: chile trompa, casabel, guajillo
Scoville Range: 2,500 - 5,000

Mirasol Chile Pepper Origin and History

The Spanish word mirasol means "looking at the sun." The pepper was given this name because it grows in an upward direction on the plant. Mirasol peppers are grown on more than 40,000 acres of land in Mexico. The pepper is used in Mexican as well as Peruvian cuisine.

Mirasol Chile Pepper Description

Mirasol chile peppers come in more varieties than any other chile. This variance makes them hard to recognize. The pepper varies in size and texture; it is sometimes smooth and other times wrinkled. Mirasol plants grow 18 to 24 inches in full sun and ripen in 80 to 90 days. The peppers turn from green to bright orange-red when they are ripe. Mirasol peppers have a thin skin and are slightly curved.

The mirasol chile has a unique spicy flavor that is compared to berries and other fruit. The medium heat is direct and intense yet very flavorful.

Mirasol Chile Pepper How to Serve or Use

Mirasol chiles are used in soups stews and sauces. It is also used to flavor potatoes, pork and chicken. Tacos, quesadillas and Mexican salads commonly contain mirasol peppers. Mirasol peppers have also made their way into nontraditional dishes such as macaroni and cheese and chocolate cake.

Mirasol chile is used fresh or in dried, powder, and paste form. Homemade paste can be made by soaking the dried chiles in water over a six hour period with two changes of water. The chiles are washed under water, including rubbing the peppers together to clean the inner side. After they are cut the chiles are boiled for two hours, changing the water two times to remove the heat. They are then blended with vegetable oil to give them the paste consistency.

Image(s) provided by: rob-sinclair
