Quick question - old wrinkled peppers, safe to use?

Rave

I'm just about to start cooking a chilli con carne- along the lines of the one in the River Cottage Meat Book, so I'm hoping it'll be better than usual. Also making double portions to freeze half in true OS moneysaving style;). Anyway, I bought some fresh chilli peppers but as I was tidying up the kitchen a bit I found some old shrivelled up dry ones. Any reason why I shouldn't use them? I also found in the fridge an old red bell pepper which is just starting to wrinkle a bit, I was thinking of adding that too for a bit of extra colour and texture. Again- safe to use?

Sorry if this has been asked before, I'm literally about to start cooking and I'm supposed to have done most of the washing up before my wife gets home too:eek:, so haven't got time to search. Mods please feel free to lock and/or move if it's an old question.

Bennifred

Don't know about the chilis, but the red bell pepper should be fine if it's just a bit wrinkled and not mouldy at all..........

SallyinWales

Absolutely fine if they smell fine and show no mould. We deliberately dehydrate veg all the time and drying food has been done for centureis. In fact, its never a bad idea to string up things like chillies bought on teh cheap on a thread to dry, then they keep ages and can be crumbled up when you want to use them

squeaky

Yep, fine on both counts as long as, as has been said, you can't see any mould on them

chrislee765

I love river cottage!
Whats the meat recipe book like?

Rage_in_Eden

Oh Oh :j I bought OH this for his birthday as he had been coveting it at his friend's house - it's VERY good. I now let him cook all the meat (I'm not daft you know....) and it's always lovely. Can you request it from the local library first and give it a whirl that way before a purchase?

comping_cat

If it smells ok, and looks ok, its prob safe to use!!!!

Rave

Thanks to all (went on a bit of a thanking spree just then;)).

chrislee765 wrote:

I love river cottage!
Whats the meat recipe book like?

Yeah, it is really good; I've not yet read many of the recipes but the first part of the book where he talks about the provenance of the meat and its quality etc. is excellent. Sadly for my wallet he has me convinced about the inherent cruelty of factory poultry and pig farming so I am going to have to try and find (as he suggests) a butcher or farmer's market that can sort me out with decent stuff from now on.

My wife got the Family Cookbook, which I've not looked at yet but she says it's good.