SPOTLIGHT ON: CHILLIES

Chillies command a cult following and top the must-grow list for many keen cooks and kitchen gardeners.

Although fiery heat is the big attraction for some fans, there are varieties even the most nervous foodie would feel safe with.

Cayenne peppers are long and slim with a rich fruity flavour combined with faint heat. Joe’s Long is a cayenne variety particularly worth looking out for as it has a superb flavour and is incredibly productive. One plant yields enough for a family all year.

Chillies are very versatile since the same plant produces both green and red fruit. Green are unripe, so slightly milder. If left on the plant to ripen, they turn red and develop more heat with deeper, richer, fruitier notes.

You can use both green and red chillies fresh, raw or cooked, or allow the red fruit to ripen fully on the plant, then pick it to dry and use out of season. For the best results, dry your chillies in the airing cupboard or another warm, shady place. Direct sunlight makes the colour and flavour fade.

You can then turn them into chilli flakes in a pestle and mortar, or grind them down to powder in a spice grinder to make your own paprika or chilli powder, varying the strength by leaving the seeds in or out (the seeds and central pith are the hottest parts). So, even if you only have room to grow one plant, there is so much you can do.