WHILE BELL PEPPERS add a sweetness to the classic Louisiana trinity, it’s easy to overlook how adaptable, versatile, and interesting they can be. Whether as part of the flavor background (as they are in the trinity), a vessel for other foods, or in a leading role, bell peppers are a large part of what makes Bayou State cuisine taste the way it does. Gumbos, étouffées, sauce piquantes, and more just would not be the same without them.
Many bell peppers are harvested in the green-mature stage, according to the LSU AgCenter, but many others turn red, yellow, orange, or purple at their full maturity. Backyard gardeners may opt to harvest their peppers at
