Chiles And Other Hot/Haute Stuff

[Ron Thorne]

This is a thread dedicated to the discussion of and recipes which include one of my greatest passions, gastronomically speaking . . . CHILES!

No,this is *not* about chili con carne, which I also love,with or without beans . . . it's all about peppers!

First, a little oversight and history~

Chile peppers, members of the Capsicum familay, are related to tomatoes and eggplants, believe it or not.

All peppers are members of the genus Capsicum, and the family Solanaceae, which also includes Tomatoes and Eggplants. The name Capsicum comes from the Greek kapto, which means "to bite". There are as many as 200 varieties of peppers categorized at this time. The genus is unique in that a great number of the family are only found in the wild.

The chile is one of the world's earliest cultivated plants. In 1493, Columbus brought a chile pepper back to Europe with him from his travels. And history has noted that sixteenth century Spanish explorers found chile being cultivated in what is now New Mexico. For over eight thousand years chiles have been used by the native people of the Americas. They have been an important food source for the Incas, Mayans, Aztecs and for the ancestors of the Southwest Indians.

Chile's heat comes from an alkaloid called capsaicin, which, when ingested, irritates the cells lining the mouth, stomach and nose. Upon ingesting capsaicin, the body reacts by releasing natural pain killers called endorphins, thus producing a natural high. It is a fact that chiles can be addictive - just ask any chilehead!

Scoville Units are the measurement of capsaicin level (the oil that makes chiles hot). Although chiles can vary from pod to pod and plant to plant, listed below is an approximate scale for several varieties of chiles:

THE CHILE HEAT SCALE - Scoville Units

Red Savina Habañero-350-550,000 Scoville Heat Units
Habañero (Scotch Bonnet)-200-300,000 Scoville Heat Units
Thai-70-80,000 Scoville Heat Units
Chiltecpin-70-80,000 Scoville Heat Units
Santaka-50-60,000 Scoville Heat Units
Tabasco-30-50,000 Scoville Heat Units
Chilipiquin-30-40,000 Scoville Heat Units
Cayenne-35-40,000 Scoville Heat Units
Serrano-7-25,000 Scoville Heat Units
Chile de Arbol-15-30,000 Scoville Heat Units
Jalapeno-3.5-4,500 Scoville Heat Units
Ancho Poblano-2.5-3,000 Scoville Heat Units
Anaheim-1-1,500 Scoville Heat Units
Bell Pepper-0 Scoville Heat Units

I'm preparing to make my first batch of pickled serrano peppers today, and will share the recipe at a later date if it proves succesful. I'm using a very simple recipe which includes serranos, baby carrots, onion, garlic, kosher salt, water and vinegar.

I have a number of recipes involving chiles(New Mexican, American, Thai and Chinese) to share in the future, but am interested now in seeing your thoughts and recipes which include the often- maligned and misunderstood, but delicious and healthy chile.

Chileheads unite!

· This was my first post dated July 16, 2000 from the "old" Alley. We can't lose this stuff. I'll be importing some recipes too, as time allows.

[Ron Thorne]

Ok, I promised some recipes on this thread, so here's a very simple one which is an all-time favorite. I first became hooked on this sauce when we first visited our oldest son while he was in college in New Mexico. It's used on virtually everything there from scrambled eggs to pork, chicken, or just for slathering on a tortilla. In New Mexico, they simply refer to this sauce as "chile".

Basic New Mexico Red Chile Sauce~

10-12 dried whole New Mexican chiles
1 large onion, chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, chopped
3 cups water
salt to taste
*optional - 2tsp. oregano

Place the chiles on a baking sheet in a 250 degree oven for about 15 minutes, or until the chiles begin to smell a bit toasted and darker. Careful, the aroma is pungent! Do not let them burn! After the chiles cool a bit, remove the seeds, veins and stems and crumble into a saucepan large enough for all of the ingredients above. Add remaining ingredients (except for salt) and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer for 20-30 minutes, or until chiles are completely softened. Puree the entire mixture in a blender until completely smooth, then strain (I use a large wire strainer) into the original saucepan. Add salt to taste (usually 1/2 tsp. or so is sufficient to bring out the flavor even more without smothering the natural sweetness of the chiles) and, if not thick enough, continue to cook until it is reduced to the desired consistency. It should be similar to catsup in thickness, but a bit thinner, able to coat a spoon well.

Makes 2-3 cups

Freezes beautifully, too, for future use. Guaranteed 100% fat-free and healthy, too!

There are as many variations on this basic red chile as there are New Mexican cooks, but this is a tried-and-true one.

*The amount of "heat" depends entirely on the particular chiles you obtain, but, typically, they're not extremely hot. New Mexico dried chiles (red) are now available in the Mexican section of most grocery stores in small cellophane packets and are inexpensive. If you can locate fresher ones in bulk, even better, of course.

I add it to posole, as part of a filling in enchildas, burritos, on omelettes, etc. As Emeril Lagasse would say, red chile will definitely "kick things up a notch"!

I'll locate my posole recipe and share that one soon. Vegetarians and meatlovers alike should love that one.

There's yet another New Mexico chapter on green chiles, too!

Bon Apetit~

[Ron Thorne]

Here's a good, simple recipe for a wonderful dish I first enjoyed while visiting New Mexico. It's often served as a side dish, even with breakfast. Vegetarians may simply omit the pork and will still enjoy tremendous flavor.

Posole~
(po-SOLE-ay)

2 cups frozen white posole (hominy)
1 quart water
1 pound pork shoulder or chops (I cut into bite-sized pieces)
1/4 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp.whole black peppercorns (tie in bag,or use teaball)
1/3 cup chopped onion
2-3 large cloves garlic,minced
4 dried red chile pepper pods,crumbled
Salt

Mix all ingredients together in a large, heavy pot. Bring to a boil, then simmer, covered for about 2 1/ 2 hours, or until the hominy kernels are soft but not mushy. Salt to taste. Serves 4.

Note: If I already have red chile sauce on-hand, I simply add a couple of tablespoons to mixture in lieu of pepper pods. Either way is fine. If you use chile pods, be sure to remove them before serving.

It will taste even better the following day,as with many dishes!


And for a typical New Mexican dessert, . . . some wonderfully light, airy little bread puffs.

Sopaipillas~
(sopa-PEE-yahs)

2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2 T. lard or shortening
1/2 cup water
Shortening for frying

Sift dry ingredients together. Work in lard (shortening) and lukewarm water to make a soft dough. Chill in refigerator thoroughly (about 1/2 hour). Roll out dough on a floured surface to a thickness of about 1/4". Cut into 3" squares. Deep fry in hot lard(or vegetable shortening)at 400 degrees, a few at a time. Brown on each side, then drain on paper towels. Yield - about 2 dozen.

Serve piping hot with honey. Poke a hole in sopaipilla, then pour in some honey and devour. Or, provide some cinnamon/sugar mixture for dipping into while still hot. Honey/butter is another popular addition. The most traditional way we've noted is simply with honey.

Mui bueno~

[Jim Sangrey]

Overall, New Mexico has the best food anywhere in America. There, I've said it. Sue me!

I lived in Albuquerque for a spell, and as good as red chile is, it's the GREEN stuff that gives you visions of God. Not always as hot as the red, but layers of flavor that just don't stop unfolding.

You ever eat the blue corn enchiladas (layered, not rolled)? Again, perfection on a platter.

Got any good recipes for mole (that's mo-lay as in sauce, not the varment) or nopolitos?

[patricia]

Ron,
Thanks for the revival of the chile thread.
I'm up to chilepiquant, and think that any hotter and I will be begging for the house gun. :)

The Scoville Scale is on my fridge again and I may venture higher, but .................maybe not. :)

[Jim Sangrey]

For everyday use, I prefer a balance between heat and flavor, something I can use liberally but not promiscuously, and these are two products that never fail to disappoint:



http://www.deathsauce.com.au/images/originaldeathsauce.jpg http://www.deathsauce.com.au/images/suddendeathsauce.jpg

Ignore the skull keychain however - it's a cute gimmick, but the bottle will last longer than it does.

I have been to the habañero mountaintop, and since it did not kill me (it sure looked bad there for a while, though), it has made me stronger. Strong enough to realize that habañero makes an excellent ingredient, in moderation, in sauces, stews, soups, etc., but as a "feature" unto itself, it's best left alone except for very, VERY, special occasions.

[Tanager]

I find that Habañeros go best with sweeter sauces - I make a Habañero-mango salsa that usually comes out quite well. Other tropical fruits (guava, papaya) also match up quite well, since Habañeros/Scotch Bonnets have themselves a fairly fruity flavor, one that I think is enhanced by contrasting with other fruits.

I think it's interesting that note that peppers are (I think I have my info straight here) entirely indigenous to the New World - despite this, they have proliferated into many (?most?) of the world's great cuisines (and lots of lesser ones).

[Jimmy Cantiello]

This is a co-worker's Website. He makes hot relish and pickles as a sideline. The business is growing so I don't know how long he'll be a co-worker..............


http://www.hellishrelish.com/

[Ron Thorne]

A couple of vegetarian recipes with chiles~

First, a short story connected with these recipes. In 1990, Patti and I spent our 25th wedding anniversary in Hawaii. Our first week was spent on Oahu, where we mostly enjoy people-watching, shopping and fine dining. Since we both are very fond of Asian cuisine, especially Thai, we eventually found ourselves in the "original" Keo's Thai Cuisine in Honolulu, one of three fine Thai restaurants owned by the same great chef. We ate there more than once, and after our last dinner there, before a short flight to our next stop, Kauai,I bought Keo's cookbook which he happily autographed for us. Here, then, are a couple of delicious recipes from award-winning Thai chef, Keo Sananikone.

The following is the most popular vegetarian dish on Keo's menu. I love the name of this dish,too. By the way, I enjoyed this very dish on our recent visit to Hawaii this past November. It's incredibly delicious.

Evil Jungle Prince with Mixed Vegetables~

1/2 pound mixed vegetables *
6 small red chili peppers
1/2 stalk fresh lemon grass
2 kaffir lime leaves
2 tablespoons oil
1/2 cup coconut milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
10 to 15 sweet basil leaves
1 cup chopped cabbage


* Choose several from among this list of vegetables:

bell peppers
string beans
water chestnuts
tomatoes
bamboo shoots
miniature corn
asparagus
cucumbers
zucchini
mushrooms

Cut vegetables into thin strips. Grind together red chili peppers, lemon grass and kaffir lime leaves in a food processor, or pound in a mortar. Heat oil to medium-high and saute pepper mixture for 3 minutes. Stir in coconut milk and cook for 2 minutes. Add vegetables and cook for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low. Stir in salt and basil. Serve on bed of chopped cabbage. Makes 3 to 4 servings.

Note: Kaffir lime leaves, lemon grass and canned coconut milk should be readily available if you have an Asian grocery or Asian section in your local markets.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

Thai Sweet and Sour Vegetables~

1 pound mixed vegetables (see above list)
2 tablespoons oil
3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1/4 cup tomato sauce
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 to 2 tablespoons fish sauce*
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 to 6 red chili peppers, seeded and sliced
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup water

*The amount of fish sauce used in this recipe depends on the brand selected and personal taste. I'd go lightly at first.

Cut vegetables into 1 to 2 inch strips. Heat oil and the garlic in a frying pan on medium heat until garlic is golden brown. Stir in mixed vegetables, tomato sauce, red wine vinegar, fish sauce, sugar, salt and red chili peppers. Combine the cornstarch and water; blend to make a smooth paste. Stir cornstarch mixture into sauce, increase heat slightly and cook 5 minutes or until vegetables are cooked and sauce is thickened. Makes 3-to 4 servings.

Note:Thickening agents such as cornstarch or flour do *not* activate until the temperature is high enough to cause a change in their properties, usually just short of a boil!

If you like these, I have many more.

Enjoy!

[Sergio Zamora]

Don't mean to get all nationalist or anything, but pozole is a Mexican dish - New Mexico was part of Mexico and that's why they have it, too. But you can go anywhere in Mexico and eat pozole or menudo (I'm more into the latter, but it's all good)

And it's not a side dish - you're supposed to eat two servings of it you're still hungry after one.

[Jim Sangrey]

Originally posted by Sergio Zamora
But you can go anywhere in Mexico and eat pozole or menudo (I'm more into the latter, but it's all good)

Menudo is da'BOMB! Do you make it with or without pig's feet? Not too many people make it with, but I love it when they do!

[Ron Thorne]

It looks like the "old" board might be disappearing from view, so I'm cutting and pasting what I can, while I can.

Sergio, I'm hip to the fact that many (probably most) dishes served in New Mexico originated in Mexico, including pozole. I haven't had the pleasure to visit Mexico yet, but have had the opportunity to enjoy New Mexico on several occasions, thus my perspective.

Jim Sangrey, I haven't forgotten your request for a molé and nopalito recipe. Were you interested in a napalito salsa recipe?


Chiles Rellenos~

This is a simple, mild, light version, not deep-fried, as in many Mexican/American restaurants. This dish is especially attractive (and easy to serve) if made in individual gratin dishes, allowing 2 chiles per person.

1 ½ cups half-and-half
3 large eggs
½ cup flour
½ tsp. ground cumin
½ tsp. salt
8 whole roasted Anaheim or Poblano* chiles (see note below for roasting methods)
12 oz. Monterey Jack or Muenster cheese
Chile Relleno Sauce (recipe follows) or salsa
Cilantro

Beat half-and-half with eggs, cumin, salt and flour until smooth. Split chiles and scrape away seeds with the back of your knife. Some folks rinse their chiles, but I never do, since I don't want any of that delicate flavor going down the drain. Set aside 2/3 cup of cheese. In a buttered baking dish (or individual gratins), make alternate layers of cheese, chiles and egg mixture. Top with sauce or salsa and sprinkle with reserved cheese. Bake at 350° for 45 minutes or until nice and bubbly. Serve hot, garnished with fresh cilantro and additional sauce, if desired.

* As JC buddy Clint Hopson pointed out on the "original" thread, Poblano chiles are more flavorful than Anaheim chiles, though some (especially children) may not tolerate the minor heat as well.
____________________________________________________________________________________


Sauce for Chiles Rellenos~

Recipe By : Diana Kennedy-Mexican Family Cooking

1 half onion -- sliced
4 tablespoons salad oil
1 28 oz can Italian style tomatoes
1 teaspoon garlic -- mashed
salt and pepper (to taste)
1/2 teaspoon oregano -- crushed
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup chicken broth -- (if sauce is too thick)

Saute onion slices in hot oil in medium-sized saucepan.
Puree canned tomatoes in blender with garlic. Strain. Add pureed tomatoes and garlic to sautéed onion slices. Season with salt and pepper and add oregano. Add sugar and correct seasoning. Cover and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes. If sauce thickens too much, add chicken broth or tomato juice and cook 2 minutes. Take to the table in a sauceboat. Should be served over Chiles Rellenos to cover.

____________________________________________________________________________________

Roasting chiles~


Lay whole chiles directly on a barbecue grill, under a broiler, on a stove top grill, or over a gas flame.

Grill or broil, turning frequently, until the chile skins are evenly blackened and charred all over, but the flesh is still crisp.

Put the chiles into a paper bag for a few minutes to cool and steam, this helps further loosen the skins. As soon as they are cool enough to handle, the skins will slide
off easily. Do not rinse the roasted peppers under the tap or all the flavourful juices will be lost down the drain.

Slit and remove veins and seeds. If doing this with very hot chiles, be sure to wear rubber gloves and don't touch your eyes or other delicate body parts until the gloves are removed. It's usually a good idea to wash your hands and rinse thoroughly, even after wearing gloves, if you're working with very hot chiles. All it takes is one small pinhole to ruin your day.

[Jim Sangrey]

Originally posted by Ron Thorne
Jim Sangrey, I haven't forgotten your request for a molé and nopalito recipe. Were you interested in a napalito salsa recipe?

Sure, ANYTHING. I just know nopalitos w/scrambled eggs, which is more than fine, but I'd like to spread out, diversify the options. Cacti are very, VERY, tasty critters.

[Ron Thorne]

Hi Jim-

Creating an authentic Molé sauce is a time-consuming task, with a good number of essential ingredients. I have a couple of excellent ones which I'll share later.

The nopalito recipes are quicker to address right now. Here's a wonderful link, which will provide you with lots of great ideas for working with nopale (cacti) leaves, including proper preparation of the leaves. Among others, there are recipes for soup, tacos, burritos, salad, salsa and a Nopalitos Con Chili recipe which sound really tasty.

Scroll to the bottom of the page for more information, including organic cactus leaves available from this site.

http://www.rivenrock.com/recipes.html

[Sergio Zamora]

Ron, that's cool.

Jim, when someone in the family makes it, they on occasion add a few pigs' feet. I'm not much into them, but they are good.

Oh, and I LOVE nopales. Love love love them. One of my favorite things is nopal gorditas (second favorite gorditas: with requezon). Nothing too complex - just nopales and some sort of hot sauce or nopales with eggs.

[Jim Sangrey]

Outstanding!

[patricia]

Ron,
Blessings on you for reviving this thread and of course for the recipes.
You know that I would be at your house, twice a week, if you didn't live way up in Alaska. But, you never know. :)

[Jimmy Cantiello]

You think it's easy being one of Ron Thorne's grandchildren?


http://taylor.250x.com/Pictures/LABabyFood.jpg

[clinthopson]

The state dish of Guerrero is Pozole. They serve it every Thursday throughout the state. It comes in White, green or red (just like the Mexican flag). I like the red the best because it has some chile in it.

Menudo and pozole are basically the same dish with tripe in the menudo and pork necks in the pozole. I love 'em both.

Pozole is usually served with a bunch of condiments, chicharones, radishes, cotija cheese, oregano, chile, totopos and anything else they can scrape up in the kitchen.

The proper way to finish your pozole meal is with a shooter of mescal.

In the future I'll give you my take on chiles rellenos and adobo.

[Ron Thorne]

I'm attempting my first IMG attachment. If it works, you'll see a lovely, colorful grouping of chiles. What a still life, huh?


http://www.chileplants.com/images/medley_mid.jpg

That's an hysterical baby food sendup, Jimmy!

[clinthopson]

My take on chilis rellenos:

I roast pasilla chiles over a gas flame, put in a container and cover with plastic wrap, let set for about 30 mins and then peel them.

For 6 servings I separate 6 eggs. Mix the yolks with 2 tbs of flour, salt and 1/2 cup of milk.

Heat a pan over medium heat with 1/2 inch of oil (I use canola for this)

Beat the whites until fairly stiff with a little salt.

Fold the yolks into the whites.

Stuff the chilis with a white cheese, manchego is the best but havarti works just fine.

Put a large spoonfull of the egg mixture into the oil and let cook for a minute, carefully place a stuffed chili on top of the egg. Put enough of the egg mixture on top to cover the chili. Repeat with all the chilis. Don't crowd the pan.

After the bottoms are brown, turn the chilis over. This is a trick process, I use two spatulas. And for Pete's sake be careful of the hot oil splashing!

After the chilis are cooked, let cool on a rack, not on paper!

Make a simple tomato sauce of tomato puree or crushed tomatoes thinned with a bit of chicken or vegetable stock, sauteed minced onions and plenty of oregano.

Heat oven to 350

Place the chilis in a baking pan and cover with the sauce. Cover with foil and bake for 25-30 minutes.

I'll bet ya can't eat just one!

[clinthopson]

Ok, adobo, the magic sauce for marinating, seasoning and sauces.

12 oz. dried pasilla-ancho chilis
4 oz. dried chili negros

Cook on a dry very hot griddle until you smelll the chili aroma, just a couple of minutes.

Let the chilis cool and then break apart and remove the stems and seeds. Put in a large bowl. Not plastic, it will stain like crazy

Add enough hot water to cover and then let soak until re-hydrated, about 1 hour.

Grind 6 cloves of garlic in a food processor

Add 1 tbsp ground cumin, 2 tbsp dried Mexican oregano, 1 tbsp salt

Put the hydrated chilis in the processor and process until it is a smooth paste. Add hydrating water to moisten if necessary, not too much. Taste the water, if it's bitter, use plain water.

I then run the sauce through a food mill with the finest grid. This will take out all the skins and remaining seeds.

This recipe will make about 2 cups of sauce.

This will store in the fridge for months.

Rub some on chicken thighs or breasts, pork chops, pork roasts or fish to barbecue.

Use as a base for barbecue sauce.

Sautee 1/4 cup of the sauce in oil, add chopped onions, sautee, add 1 cup of tomato sauce and 1 cup of chicken stock and you have the best enchilada sauce.

Sautee in a pan with diced chicken, diced beef or diced pork, add chicken stock to moisten, cook and you have great chili colorado.

The uses for this concoction are unlimited. It's a bit of work to make, but well worth it.

[Ron Thorne]

Clint-

Thanks so much for two wonderful additions to this thread for "chile heads" and soon-to-be "chile heads".

I'll add another recipe or two later tonight. I'm narrowing down my choices for overall usefulness and appeal.

http://www.chileplants.com/images/medley_mid.jpg

I just love this chile still life!

For any of you interested in growing your own chiles, here's a very hip website where you can order a wide variety of pepper plants.

http://www.chileplants.com/

No, I'm not on commission, though I wish I were.

[S.Eden]

I'm going to go slightly off topic here, but Ron I see the above note about the body releasing endorphins when they ingest the certain chemical in chiles. Is the same true of cayenne? I've been in my spring bodily cleansing mode for the past few weeks and someone suggested I take cayenne fruit supplements in pill form, which I have. They definitely have an interesting effect, but then again it is not a natural consumption of them either. What word have you on it?

[Ron Thorne]

Originally posted by S.Eden
I'm going to go slightly off topic here, but Ron I see the above note about the body releasing endorphins when they ingest the certain chemical in chiles. Is the same true of cayenne? I've been in my spring bodily cleansing mode for the past few weeks and someone suggested I take cayenne fruit supplements in pill form, which I have. They definitely have an interesting effect, but then again it is not a natural consumption of them either. What word have you on it?

That "certain chemical", as pointed out in my first post, is capsaicin, the active ingredient in chiles which creates heat, releases endorphins and creates a sense of well-being in many. Yes, cayenne is a chile, thus will exhibit these same characteristics. I'm not sufficiently well-versed to direct you or comment with respect to herbal suppliments, Scot. I've read and heard about many beneficial uses of chiles ... from preventing flu to bodily cleansing, and have experienced my own benefits, but that's another matter.

I'm confident that chiles, garlic, ginger and many other foods have some magical properties, but I prefer to enjoy their benefits in a more organic, practical setting ... enhancing the flavor and texture of the foods I eat. It's a personal thing.

Eat chiles and foods containing chiles and you'll feel good while enhancing your health. That's good enough for me.

[Ron Thorne]

Ok, here's another chile recipe.

Pollo Poblano ~

Chicken in Poblano Cream Sauce

This easy recipe is one of the few instances where poblanos are used without having to be roasted and peeled. The sauce can be made ahead of time and the dish assembled quickly before serving. It can be made in larger quantities, keeping the proportions the same, making it ideal for big parties. The sauce is also excellent for topping crepes, or for mixing with cooked pasta, topped with cheese and popped in the oven until the cheese melts.

Ingredients:

3-4 poblano chiles, seeded and chopped
1/2 cup milk
4 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon flour
1 cup Mexican crema or heavy cream
salt to taste
2 whole chicken breasts, cut in half
1 cup grated manchego, jack or gouda cheese

Preparation:

Puree the chiles in a blender with the milk until smooth. In a medium saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter, add the flour and brown lightly. Add the chile puree, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or a wire whisk until smooth. Lower the heat, add the cream, and stir constantly until the sauce begins to bubble. Remove from heat and add salt to taste. This sauce may be made one day ahead and refrigerated. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet and saute chicken breast halves for 4 minutes on each side. Place them in a buttered baking dish, pour the poblano cream sauce over all, top with the grated cheese and bake, uncovered, in a preheated oven at 350º for 20 minutes. The cheese will be golden and bubbly.
Serve immediately.

Serves 4.

[Ron Thorne]

A Public Service message from "Peppercorn" Thorne.

How To "Put Out The Fire" In Your Mouth!

One of the reasons that water is not advised to cool "the burn" is that what's burning you is an oily substance, and (as we all know) oil and water do not mix! Water will simply spread the burn even further, perhaps into regions previously untouched. It's a natural human reaction to reach for water to put out the fire, but resisting that urge will save you further pain, trust me.

Here are some suggestions for reducing the burning effects on your tongue, palette, and lips after over-indulging and experiencing a chile-induced fire.

First of all, your brain kicks in, releasing endorphins-- natural painkillers that generate a sense of well-being. Sometimes, that's not enough relief, so here are some Do's and Don'ts when attempting to ease the pain.

DO-

Eat a teaspoonful of sugar (plain white granulated variety)
Drink some cold milk (in fact, all dairy products, including yogurt are very helpful)
Drink some cold beer
Eat some steamed rice
Drink some sweetened tea or coffee with milk or cream (iced will offer two forms of relief)
Drink some cold fruit nectar

DON'T-

Drink wine or alcohol other than beer!
Drink plain water!

I hope this helps further the enjoyment of chiles while reducing the unpleasant effects sometimes experienced.

Chileheads unite!

[Vince Kargatis]

Of the habanero sauces I've had, I enjoy Melinda's the most - got a nice taste, not too vinegary. I have to mail order it - dey ain't no such thing as hot sauce in Greece. They pretty much don't eat spicy food here.

About relieving capsaicin discomfort - what about on the skin? Say you accidentally rub your eyes or something. Since it's oil, would vegetable oil help to dilute and remove it? Are you supposed to apply yogurt to help instead?

[Jimmy Cantiello]

I would suggest bread. When your mouth is on fire, eat a small piece of bread. It acts like a blotter to absorb some of the volatile oils.............

[Knike]

Eating a piece of banana does a good job, putting out the fire ! Of course you don't always have a piece of banana, so bread always did a good job too. I don't think beer ever helped me. It reliefes only for a short time....

Different producers of "hot-products" also have different opinions on what is *hot* and whats not. I have a box of dried chiles and on the back of the package, they write: "Extremly hot, use careful"
So I did use it carfully, and I'm a person who likes it *REALLY* hot !! It was only a little warm. Put in more and more and more and now I know, how much it takes to make it burn. Other products don't even say it's hot, and they set you're mouth on fire !!

but there is nothing worse than accidently touching your eyes or nose while chopping chiles ! This can't be stopped with banana, bread, beer or tea !

[clinthopson]

Ron, that sounds like a great recipe for chicken in poblano sauce. Donna loves creamy dishes so it's on the menu in the next few days.

I will use boneless thighs because we like them better than breast which we eat so much of at lunch anyway.

As far as the burn, I never try to calm it down. My endorfins go caroming off in all directions and I am a happy guy. I've been known to take a bite of Habanero just to see what it was like. I cried a river but that endorfin rush was worth it.

I guess I'm a chili junkie.

BTW, when you make the adobo sauce, be careful when you take the lid off the food processor or blender. The fumes will make you think you've been hit with a WOMD.

[Douglas]

BTW, when you make the adobo sauce, be careful when you take the lid off the food processor or blender. The fumes will make you think you've been hit with a WOMD.

Absolutely. I made this mistake just once. The effect was so powerful I was seriously contemplating standing on my head and getting my wife to pour milk into my nostrils!

[clinthopson]

Last night I did a boneless leg of lamb barbacoa style.

I marinated it in adobo overnight, then smoked it on low heat for 1 1/2 hours, covered it and continued cooking at a low temp for another hour and a half.

You would think it would dry out but it didn't. I poured off the pan juices in a fat extractor and poured them over the cut meat.

I was absolutely delicious.

OTOH, if you like your lamb medium rare, roast it at 250 to an internal temp of 125 and let rest.

It's pretty damned good that way too.

[Jon Abbey]

up.

what kind of peppers would you guys recommend if you're frying a Italian sausage and pepper sandwich? I was using cayenne ones, but they haven't been at the store the last few times, maybe they're out of season? I used jalapenos today, which was OK, but I think I can do better. suggestions?

[Ron Thorne]

up.

what kind of peppers would you guys recommend if you're frying a Italian sausage and pepper sandwich? I was using cayenne ones, but they haven't been at the store the last few times, maybe they're out of season? I used jalapenos today, which was OK, but I think I can do better. suggestions?
That's an open-ended question. It depends on how much heat you want to experience and how much you want the peppers to be a part of the sandwich. If you'd like the flavor of pepper with mild heat and have it spread throughout the sandwich, I'd recommend something like a Pasilla or Poblano. If you want some intense flavor and heat, I love Serranos. In any case, you might consider roasting the Poblano peppers first, over an open flame on your stove, then removing the skin after letting it steam in a paper bag for a few minutes. Fresh Serranos can be deveined (heat reduction) and sliced or diced for use.

http://tasteoftx.com/recipes/pasilla.jpg

Pasilla Chile


http://tasteoftx.com/recipes/poblano.jpg

Poblano Chile

[Gentle Giant]

I found a jar of sliced cherry peppers in a specialty store and for the past month or two I've been throwing them into and onto hot dogs, hamburgs, and sandwiches of all types, as well as sausages and onions, and scrambled eggs. Not terribly hot but a nice add to food that wouldn't otherwise have heat.

[Jon Abbey]

Ron, where do you get such a wide selection of peppers (chiles)? maybe you grow them yourself, but since you live in Alaska, I'm not sure if that's true. even the large gourmet groceries in NYC don't have such a big selection, or maybe I've just looked at the wrong ones. I don't think the ones you pictured are options, although the Poblanos look like the ones I used yesterday that I thought were jalapenos.

as for how hot I like it, cayennes and jalapenos together were perfect, I was tearing and sweating by the end of my sandwich. I have a fairly high tolerance for Scoville units, stopping short of Dave's Insanity Sauces, but including many different habanero sauces.

[clinthopson]

We're very fortunate here since we have such a large Mexican community. The local supermnarkets carry a very large selections of chiles year round. I usually only buy the pasillas in the market since I crow my own jalapenos and serranos which I use when they turn red. I can never find red jalas in the markets.

This year I made my own hote sauce, grinding up red jalapenos and serranos, with the seeds and veins for more heat. I salted them and let them set for a couple of days and then put them in jars with vinegfar (I like cider for this) along with cruished garlic. I let them kanoodle for a couple of months and then strained them. My sauce gives Tapatio a run for its money.

Of course the selection of available dried chiles is huge. I always keep a couple of bags of anchos, guajillos, chipotles and negros in the pantry.

I usually have some roasted and skinned pasillas in the fridge and use them on everything. They are perfect with Itralian sausage, or scrambled eggs, or in a quesedilla or damned near anything else. I think they would go great with apple pie.

[Ron Thorne]

Ron, where do you get such a wide selection of peppers (chiles)? maybe you grow them yourself, but since you live in Alaska, I'm not sure if that's true.
It wasn't always true, but for the past 10-12 years we've been able to buy a terrific variety of fresh chiles at our local markets, including Fred Meyer, a combination food/clothing/housewares/hardware store. In the ethnic food section we can also buy several dried chiles, including my beloved New Mexican Red Chiles.

Serranos are one of my favorite chiles for all around flavor and heat, especially flavorful when red, of course.

[Jon Abbey]

are there any good web sites for chile knowledge and research?

[MRS]

green market at 14th Street and Union Square

[Enforcer]

I missed this last time, I guess. I love chiles. I'm going to print some of the recipes here and try them.

I once used some Habaneros to f**k with a food bandit back when I worked the night shift at my old job. I had just learned about scoville units and I decided to seek out some Habaneros to play a prank on a guy who was coming in during the day shift and eating our leftover food. We ordered a pizza and knew that by the following night, our leftovers would be gone. So I carefully loaded each slice with chopped, raw Habaneros and tucked them under the cheese and toppings.

The following day, only one slice was missing from the box.

I have to admit I'm intrigued by Jon's idea of spicing up Italian sausage and peppers. Jon, are talking about adding the hot peppers to the green peppers, or do you only use the hot peppers? I rarely make them anymore, but I used to make Italian sausage sandwiches on a hoagie with onions, green peppers and melted mozzarella. A spicy barbecue sauce was what I used to liven them up, but hot peppers sound even better (or a good further addition, anyway).

[Jon Abbey]

I've only been using hot peppers, along with the sausage. I'm no purist (or much of a cook, although I'm OK when I try), and I wanted something that would be very hot, so I've been experimenting a bit the last couple of months with a very basic fresh Italian sausage with some kind of peppers sandwich.

[clinthopson]

When we're in Mexico, one of my favorite dishes is served "al ajillo." They saute dried guajillo chilis which have been cut into rings with some garlic until they are softened. They serve it over fish, shrimp or octopus. Pulpo al aljillo is on my dinner plate at least once a week when we're down there.

Guajillos are hotter than anchos, but not too much. They have a delicious, smoky flavor.

I've done it with shrimp and it's almost as good as what they do.

[Jimmy Cantiello]

A traditional sausage and pepper grinder/sandwich is made with cubanelle peppers. Adding hot peppers to the mix sounds like a great idea........

These are your basic cubanelles


http://www.usda.gov/oc/photo/b98c0469.jpg

[sonic1]

I grow several varieties of my own chilis, being in Tucson. This includes several varieties unavailable on the market-except maybe from Native Seed Search or by trading with other chili freaks.

I love the heat going in, but do suffer later...if you know what I mean...going in they are ok, coming out.....

Still my favorite are the little chiltepins, which are like weeds here. I also have a weird thai pepper that is like death! Your eyes water even thinkin' about it.

Jared

[Jimmy Cantiello]

BTW, what's the deal with these babies? A co-worker gave me a bunch of 'em. They're one of the hottest peppers I've ever tasted. They're pretty small, about an inch and a half or so long. I looked them up and they're called "superchiles". I think they're also known as "Christmas peppers" but I'm not sure. Anybody ever taste them? Mucho caliente!...

http://www.pepperfool.com/images/peppers/super/supergroup2.jpg

[Noj]

Some of my best friends are Mexican and they make the authentic green sauce at our parties and gatherings. So hot it makes me sweat, but so good I can't stop eating it!

I'll have to reference this thread and whip up something spicy to eat on one of our snowboard trips. That would trip 'em out!

[Dr Dave]

BTW, what's the deal with these babies? A co-worker gave me a bunch of 'em. They're one of the hottest peppers I've ever tasted. They're pretty small, about an inch and a half or so long. I looked them up and they're called "superchiles". I think they're also known as "Christmas peppers" but I'm not sure. Anybody ever taste them? Mucho caliente!...

http://www.pepperfool.com/images/peppers/super/supergroup2.jpg

Those look like fresh bird peppers (aka Chilipiquins) to me. Hot little bastards!

If you want the fruity flavor of habaneros without the heat, try to find rocotillos. They look like scotch bonnets, but without the same fire.

For a pretty complete chile pepper database, click here. (http://petterssononline.com/habanero/peppers.php?action=varieties)

[sonic1]

For a pretty complete chile pepper database, click here. (http://petterssononline.com/habanero/peppers.php?action=varieties)

Great site, I think I have seen it before. But odd that many of the photos are of the flowering plant itself instead of the part that is important to pepper growers, the mature fruit. Many of the photos I wanted to see only had the flower, which looks pretty much the same on all peppers!

[Jon Abbey]

update, because I know you're all so interested. I just made a sausage sandwich with green serrano peppers, yow! this was pushing my tolerance, sweating and tearing by the end, and I couldn't eat the last little pepper. good, though.

I still haven't found a great place for pepper selection in Manhattan (not that I've really been looking that hard), next time I get up to Fairway, I'll take a look there...

[Enforcer]

It's 8:45 AM, and even now, Jon's sandwich sounds good to me.

Starving,
Larry

[clinthopson]

When we were in Chihuahua, Mexico last year, we stopped by a chile farm. They mainly grow guajillos.

Once they are picked. they are laid out on the ground to dry in the hot Chihuahua sun. They are turned regularly by the farmer who shuffles through the chiles and kicks them over with this feet. Not too sanitary, but it sure works.

I have a picture of the guy doing the guajillo shuffle, but I can't seem to be able to post my pics.

[Ron Thorne]

Jon, you should be able to find a decent selection of more common chiles in the produce section of a supermarket ... jalapeño, serrano, ancho, anaheim, habañero. In Alaska, even Safeway offers those year-round.

Dried chiles are great for most uses other than slicing for adding to sandwiches. Those are usually located in ethnic food sections of markets, especially the Mexican one. I love adding New Mexico chiles to dishes such as scrambled eggs, breakfast burritos, meatloaf, chile con queso, etc. Or, making a big batch of red chile sauce and storing unused portions in the freezer for later use.

https://www.dagiftbasket.com/store/catalog/images/nmchilepodswp.jpg

New Mexico dried chile pods

Fresh and dried chiles from Hatch, New Mexico are legendary for their flavor and intense heat, though some crops are (surprisingly) relatively mild. For anyone out there with a serious Jones for some fresh New Mexico chiles, check this (http://www.newmexicanconnection.com/) out! More NM chile products here (http://www.dagiftbasket.com/store/catalog/default.php). Chile powders are also very nice to have around.

http://www.melissas.com/newsletter/..%5Cimages%5Cobjects%5C1129a.jpg

Hatch chiles

[Jon Abbey]

Jon, you should be able to find a decent selection of more common chiles in the produce section of a supermarket ... jalapeño, serrano, ancho, anaheim, habañero. In Alaska, even Safeway offers those year-round.

not too many massive supermarkets in NYC, most of the places I've been have only one or two non-bell pepper chiles. I'm sure there are places with great selections, I just haven't found them yet (again, I haven't really looked too hard).

[Enforcer]

I may be mis-reading this thread, but I'm pretty sure I just won some kind of bet with Jon and he now owes me a sausage and pepper sandwich next time I'm in town.

Always on the hustle but rarely successful,
Larry

[Jon Abbey]

when was the last time you were in NYC?

[Enforcer]

Jon,

It's not for sure, but I may be visiting NYC next spring. I've been working on taking a vacation there for a couple years, and this just might be the one that works out. I'm crossing my fingers, because something always seems to go wrong at the last minute whenever I try to get out of town anymore. I pulled off a vacation with the g/f in July, so maybe the tide is turning my way now.

[Jon Abbey]

I'm sure you'll keep us posted. I can hook you up with much better food than my sausage and pepper sandwich, although I do expect to be very happy with my execution of those by then.

[Ron Thorne]

I'm hoping that I might stumble across a viable source for fresh chiles in NYC, despite the distance separating us.

For instance:

King Mexican Deli Grocery The
(212) 629-7579
364 W 36th St
New York, NY 10018
0.8 mi SW - Directions (http://www.mapquest.com/directions/main.adp?go=1&1a=&1c=MANHATTAN&1s=NY&1z=&2a=364+W+36TH+ST&2c=NEW+YORK&2s=NY&2z=10018) <script language="JavaScript" type="text/javascript"><!-- var mapid = 0;var czl = 3;var zp = "";var izl = 3;var xmlhttp;var browserok = checkbrowser(); function getnextfloat(str, prefix) {var i = str.indexOf(prefix);if (i != -1) {var version = parseFloat(str.substring(i + prefix.length));if (!isNaN(version)) {return version;}}return null;} function checkbrowser() {var agt = navigator.userAgent.toLowerCase();var isie = (agt.indexOf("msie") != -1);var isopera = (agt.indexOf("opera") != -1);var ismac = (agt.indexOf("mac") != -1);if (isie && !isopera && !ismac) {var version = getnextfloat(agt, "msie ");if (version != null) {return (version >= 5.5);}}var isgecko = (agt.indexOf("gecko") != -1);var issafari = (agt.indexOf("safari") != -1);if (isgecko && !issafari) {var version = getnextfloat(agt, "rv:");if (version != null) { return (version >= 1.4); }else {var i = agt.indexOf("galeon");version = getnextfloat(agt, "galeon/");if (version != null) { return (version >= 1.3); }}}if (issafari) {var version = getnextfloat(agt, "applewebkit/");if (version != null) { return (version >= 124); }}return false;} function updatecoords() {if (xmlhttp.readyState == 4 && xmlhttp.status == 200 && xmlhttp.responseText)eval(xmlhttp.responseText);} function changemapurl() {var newurl = "/local?q=mexican+grocery&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&sa=G&near=Manhattan,+NY&latlng=40759166,-73980277,2854870250628831630&radius=0.000000&mr=4Z9ZedTUngpTSNVwIHZCFVgl-PTR0A1APgAAANq8-cWXmr-Xy_UZHn1v_CTekaUs8X_1tmk0Q4whJo2YFsWzTKena8efvxQEEW5IItlUBH1Q-AQQxN4T1RDMrio" + "&zoom=" + izl + "&zp=" + zp;var mcurl = newurl + "&mc=mc";if (window.ActiveXObject && !window.XMLHttpRequest) {try {xmlhttp = new ActiveXObject(navigator.userAgent.toLowerCase().indexOf('msie5') != -1 ? 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Larger Map (http://www.google.com/local?q=mexican+grocery&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&sa=G&near=Manhattan,+NY&latlng=40759166,-73980277,2854870250628831630&radius=0.000000&dm=large) - Driving Directions (http://www.mapquest.com/directions/main.adp?go=1&1a=&1c=MANHATTAN&1s=NY&1z=&2a=364+W+36TH+ST&2c=NEW+YORK&2s=NY&2z=10018)
</td><td style="padding-left: 10px;" valign="top"><table class="lz" style="margin-bottom: 3px;" border="1" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td class="zlvl" onclick="return Z(-1)" align="center" nowrap="nowrap">Zoom In (http://www.google.com/local?q=mexican+grocery&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&sa=G&near=Manhattan,+NY&latlng=40759166,-73980277,2854870250628831630&radius=0.000000&zoom=3&zp=I)</td></tr></tbody></table><table class="lz" border="1" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class="zlvl" id="zl0" onclick="return ZTo(0)" onmouseover="return ZOver(0)" onmouseout="return ZOut(0)" nowrap="nowrap">0 (http://www.google.com/local?q=mexican+grocery&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&sa=G&near=Manhattan,+NY&latlng=40759166,-73980277,2854870250628831630&radius=0.000000&zoom=3&zp=III)</td></tr><tr><td style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class="zlvl" id="zl1" onclick="return ZTo(1)" onmouseover="return ZOver(1)" onmouseout="return ZOut(1)" nowrap="nowrap">1 (http://www.google.com/local?q=mexican+grocery&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&sa=G&near=Manhattan,+NY&latlng=40759166,-73980277,2854870250628831630&radius=0.000000&zoom=3&zp=II) - Street</td></tr><tr><td class="zlvl" id="zl2" onclick="return ZTo(2)" onmouseover="return ZOver(2)" onmouseout="return ZOut(2)" nowrap="nowrap">2 (http://www.google.com/local?q=mexican+grocery&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&sa=G&near=Manhattan,+NY&latlng=40759166,-73980277,2854870250628831630&radius=0.000000&zoom=3&zp=I)</td></tr><tr><td class="zlvl" id="zl3" onclick="return ZTo(3)" onmouseover="return ZOver(3)" onmouseout="return ZOut(3)" bgcolor="#eeeeee" nowrap="nowrap">3 (http://www.google.com/local?q=mexican+grocery&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&sa=G&near=Manhattan,+NY&latlng=40759166,-73980277,2854870250628831630&radius=0.000000&zoom=3&zp=) - City</td></tr><tr><td class="zlvl" id="zl4" onclick="return ZTo(4)" onmouseover="return ZOver(4)" onmouseout="return ZOut(4)" nowrap="nowrap">4 (http://www.google.com/local?q=mexican+grocery&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&sa=G&near=Manhattan,+NY&latlng=40759166,-73980277,2854870250628831630&radius=0.000000&zoom=3&zp=O)</td></tr><tr><td style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class="zlvl" id="zl5" onclick="return ZTo(5)" onmouseover="return ZOver(5)" onmouseout="return ZOut(5)" nowrap="nowrap">5 (http://www.google.com/local?q=mexican+grocery&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&sa=G&near=Manhattan,+NY&latlng=40759166,-73980277,2854870250628831630&radius=0.000000&zoom=3&zp=OO)</td></tr></tbody></table><table class="lz" style="margin-top: 3px;" border="1" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td class="zlvl" onclick="return Z(1)" align="center" nowrap="nowrap">Zoom Out (http://www.google.com/local?q=mexican+grocery&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&sa=G&near=Manhattan,+NY&latlng=40759166,-73980277,2854870250628831630&radius=0.000000&zoom=3&zp=O)</td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody> </table>

Here's another cool chile site (http://www.zianet.com/sunny/html/1998_archives.html) I discovered today.

[Ron Thorne]

I've been goin' nuts wanting to taste the flavor of Red Chile from New Mexico lately. There's absolutely nothing like it ... period. I dig Hatch and other Green Chile too, but I need a fix of New Mexico Red Chile. Now!

So, tomorrow I'm making a batch, no matter what else happens. I think that it will be positive for my funky cold, too. What doesn't get eaten in the first few days goes into the freezer for instant gratification later. When I talk about chile in this context, I'm talking about a sauce produced from chiles, as discussed in post #2 on this thread.

Since it was at the tail end of the last page, I want to share this interesting find again, a very useful link (http://www.zianet.com/sunny/html/1998_archives.html) to many informative, chile-related sources.

The green chile harvest concluded in New Mexico a couple of weeks ago, but this is the season when there are still lots of great food connections to be made for the winter months. Here's another significant chile link (http://www-psych.nmsu.edu/%7Elinda/chile.htm) worth exploring.

http://www.chilepepperinstitute.org/Images/Capbacdiv.JPG

[clinthopson]

I'm making a dish tonite of cauliflower gratineed with poblano chiles, cream and cotija cheese. It should go quite nicely with the lamb chops marinated in garlic, oregano and crushed red N.M. peppers.

[Ron Thorne]

I'm making a dish tonite of cauliflower gratineed with poblano chiles, cream and cotija cheese. It should go quite nicely with the lamb chops marinated in garlic, oregano and crushed red N.M. peppers. Now there's a man after my own heart. You have me salivating at 9:22am, Clint.

http://goamericanwest.com/graphics/arttoday/newmexico/atsf6.jpg

[clinthopson]

Now there's a man after my own heart. You have me salivating at 9:22am, Clint.

http://goamericanwest.com/graphics/arttoday/newmexico/atsf6.jpg

Yeah Thorny,

I got back from the Apple with a giant chile jones. We ate extremely well there, but no Mexican food, in fact nothing very spicy. Yesterday was Mexican for lunch, scallops with creole seasoning for dinner, lunch today at a big time Hunan joint in Monterey Park.

TOnite? As I said before. . .

[Ron Thorne]

Ok, seven months is more than enough time for a thread to languish.

I don't have a specific recipe to add at this time, but (while enjoying Lazy Afternoon on Pete LaRoca's Basra) thought I'd bring this one to the surface once again. I'll definitely add something of my own soon, however.

New Mexican chiles are among my favorites, but I'm open for a taste bud test. :p

http://tasteoftx.com/recipes/Nmpods.jpeg

[timoleon]

ron,it's a very good and useful site about spicy foods,although it's not so easy for all of us to find the ingredients you mention.
in greece,unlike vince had posted a couple of years ago,we like a lot spicy foods,what is not so common is chili and the various recipes with sauces that are hot.we add sauce to most foods but usually it's not very hot and burning stuff.
and a little correction about the word that gives the name to the category of capsicum:it comes from the greek word kafto which means hot,and capsa means heat,burning.
i guess it's a kind of food that fits in alaska the whole year,here we are going to have temperatures hotter than the food,but personally i tend to agree with the mexicans who enjoy spicy foods even in the killing heat of the summer.
i'll try to find some greek recipes for a next post.
good burnings!

[clinthopson]

Ron, thanks for reviving this thread.

Tonite, poblano chiles stuffed with some leftover smoked chicken and manchego.

[Noj]

My friends, all of whom are used to eating picante food, tried the scariest jabaneros I've ever seen down in Cabo San Lucas this weekend. They were all sucking wind and beer with sweaty foreheads immediately, I'm glad I left it alone. :D

[Enforcer]

My friends, all of whom are used to eating picante food, tried the scariest jabaneros I've ever seen down in Cabo San Lucas this weekend. They were all sucking wind and beer with sweaty foreheads immediately, I'm glad I left it alone. :D

Noj,

This reminds me of something I wanted to comment on for a while now. It's a TV commercial for a beer, I forget which one (Miller Lite? Bud Light?), but it's one of the big U.S. brands. Anyway, in the commercial, they show guys eating spicy food and drinking some other, generic brand beer. They have sight gags like sweat pouring out of them and leaving everything from their hair to their clothes soaking wet. Then, by contrast, they show someone drinking the brand of beer they're advertising for, and he's completely dry and comfortable. The message: If you're going to eat spicy food, you better drink our brand of beer, because it's the only one that will keep you cool.

What occurred to me as I watched the ads was, people will believe there's something to this claim. There is a portion of the viewing audience who will probably think, "Hey, I like spicy food. I love the taste, but it really burns my mouth after a while. I need a drink that will cool my palate. I read an article on Yahoo that said carrots have something in them that neutralizes the capsicum that makes spicy food hot. Maybe this beer has something about it that makes it better at cooling you off when you eat spicy food? If they're telling you that on TV, there must be a reason. Not that everything you see is true, but who knows. I'll have to try it."

[Ron Thorne]

Larry, the only thing I can conjur up from what little I know about this ad is that a brewery is trying to cash in on the well-known fact that sugar(s) help relieve the pain inflicted by capsicum. Beer has considerable quantities of sugar. I've quaffed many beers in association with hot, spicy foods and never experienced any such relief from the beverage. For what it's worth.

Furthermore, most chile heads enjoy the endorphine rush which accompanies such gastronomical excursions. I'm also willing to continue the experiment. :D

[clinthopson]

I whipped up a new batch of adobo over the w.e.

I rehydrated one bag of pasillas, one bag of guajillos, three dried chipotles after grilling them on a hot griddle, put the chiles in the blender along with about ten cloves of roasted garlic, a tbsp of cumin, a small handful of Mexican oregano and about a tsp of cinnamon, blended the whole mess up and put it through a fod mill to get rid of the skins and seeds.

Last night I hot smoked some big pork chops which had been marinated in the adobo with a bit of cider vinegar for a few hours.

Zowie!

[Ron Thorne]

Your Chile Adobo shouldn't be confused with the national dish of the Phillipines, Clint. ;)

I must admit to salivating a bit when reading your list of ingredients. Only ten cloves of garlic?

Do you use vegetable oil or water in the mix, or just vinegar?

[clinthopson]

Your Chile Adobo shouldn't be confused with the national dish of the Phillipines, Clint. ;)

I must admit to salivating a bit when reading your list of ingredients. Only ten cloves of garlic?

Do you use vegetable oil or water in the mix, or just vinegar?

I just put a bit of cider vinegar in the mix. I don't add any oil. I got the idea from one of Rick Bayless' tv shows. I've tried wine vinegar, but it doesn't work as well as cider does.

Yeah, adobo seems to come in many varieties, kind of like mole. I think the kind of adobo I make comes from the Puebla area.

I have some friends coming over tomorrow night and I'm making an Oaxacan dish - Chileo del Puerco. I cut up pork shoulder and pressure cook it. I then fry the pork somewhat like carnitas, The sauce is adobo, tomatoes, Mexican herbs and spices and ground up sesame seeds. I serving it with calabacitas cooked with poblano chiles, corn, onions, garlic and cream baked with manchego cheese over the top. Guacamole naturally and dessert is flan.

[Ron Thorne]

Sounds yummy. What time should we arrive?

[Vince Kargatis]

in greece,unlike vince had posted a couple of years ago,we like a lot spicy foodsWhat dishes do you have in mind that qualify as "spicy/hot"? Tyrokafteri is the only staple in tavernas I can think of, and that's generally pretty mild (though delicious). I had the occasional village sausage that was faintly hot, but can think of nothing that got close to the mouth-burning sensation of canonical hot dishes from more southerly cuisines. I can't deny the existence of greek dishes I never tasted, just referring to my experience while in Greece for 3 years.

[sonic1]

I just wanted to post really quick here that I have been very much enjoying my peppers from the garden this year. Almost every day I have been eating the hot Thais, which are not just pretty hot, but have a lot of flavor. I am probably giving myself an ulcer but damn, are they good.

I made a condiment that I use on almost everything I eat. I simply take some peppers, a little salt, garlic and a little olive oil, and blend them up together. Very tasty. Otherwise I just cut them up and put them directly on my food. I

especially enjoy the mixture of basil with these hot thais, which I stirfry in some noodles, beef, and a little coconut milk. Fucking awesome.

http://nctomatoman.topcities.com/2004_Season/peppers/ThaiHotFruit1Aug5_04.jpg

[Ron Thorne]

You go, Jared!

Chiles, oil, garlic & salt are some powerful ingredients -- "as is". Add basil, cilantro, lemon grass and/or other goodies, and it's way over-the-top.

ps: Your avatar remains disturbing. I'm sure that pleases you. ;)

[sonic1]

You go, Jared!

Chiles, oil, garlic & salt are some powerful ingredients -- "as is". Add basil, cilantro, lemon grass and/or other goodies, and it's way over-the-top.

ps: Your avatar remains disturbing. I'm sure that pleases you. ;)


I have both fresh basil and fresh lemongrass in the garden! Nothing like either fresh, especially since they rob you at the market with a couple of sprigs of what are essentially WEEDS and charge an arm and leg.

Cilantro is a winter thing here and I will be planting some out here in a month or so, though it is looking good lately at the co-op.

[vibes]

Cilantro is a winter thing here and I will be planting some out here in a month or so, though it is looking good lately at the co-op.

This sounds goooood...I've never had really fresh or homegrown cilantro.

My two recent favorite sauces:

http://216.71.49.127/media/products/WA303.gif http://tabasco.com/images/content/pf_chipnew_bottle.gif

Neither is extremely spicy, but both have great flavor. I love putting Whoop Ass on eggs and chicken. For beef and pork, I prefer the chipotle Tabasco. I also mix it with salsa if all I've got is boring salsa (like Pace) in the house, to give it a little extra kick and flavor.

[timoleon]

What dishes do you have in mind that qualify as "spicy/hot"? Tyrokafteri is the only staple in tavernas I can think of, and that's generally pretty mild (though delicious). I had the occasional village sausage that was faintly hot, but can think of nothing that got close to the mouth-burning sensation of canonical hot dishes from more southerly cuisines. I can't deny the existence of greek dishes I never tasted, just referring to my experience while in Greece for 3 years.
no file vince,we're no mexico of course but there are plenty of spicy foods here especially in macedonia(mostly various types of meet with peppers
and spices from the area),there is also <tzatziki> and <kopanisti> which are a whole different case trying them home-made than tasting the mild taverna version.
there are also some hot foods including fish (small ones like sardine or gavros) which make good company with ouzo!

[timoleon]

no file vince,we're no mexico of course but there are plenty of spicy foods here especially in macedonia(mostly various types of meet with peppers
and spices from the area),there is also <tzatziki> and <kopanisti> which are a whole different case trying them home-made than tasting the mild taverna version.
there are also some hot foods including fish (small ones like sardine or gavros) which make good company with ouzo!
quoting my stupid self here cause i put some words into those signs which are not able to show .
after the phrase there is also in the second paragraph i put tzatziki and kopanisti.

[clinthopson]

I've never thought of Grek food as being particularly spicy.

There ain't nothin' that a bit of chile can't help!

[Ron Thorne]

Here's a trio of my favorite, everyday hot sauces, the only one of which packs some real heat is the Pico Pica brand. They're all so flavorful and pure, though.

First, a real winner, which I discovered on a recent trip to California. Scooped up 4-6 ounce bottles of Red Rooster Louisiana Hot Sauce for $2 at Ralph's. Mild and pure with great flavor. Our oldest son turned me on to this one.

http://www.gritlit.com/groceries/g453a.jpg


Frank's® RedHot® Original Sauce. The original "killer" sauce for buffalo wings!

http://www.franksredhot.com/recipe/franks/images/product_o_bottle.gif

BUFFALO CHICKEN WINGS
Servings: 24 to 30 individual pieces | Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 12 minutes | <!-- thumbnail --> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="8" border="0" width="484"> <tbody><tr><td valign="top" align="center"><table bgcolor="#000000" height="173" width="173" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="3" border="0"> <tbody><tr> <td valign="middle" align="center">http://im2.recipe.os-0.com/campaign/recipe/rb/lg/LG_10272.JPG</td></tr> </tbody></table></td> <!-- end thumbnail --> <td valign="top" class="tbl-white_nopad"> INGREDIENTS:
2 1/2 pounds chicken wings, split and tips discarded
1/2 cup Frank's® REDHOT® Cayenne Pepper Sauce (or more to taste)
1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted
Blue cheese salad dressing (optional)
Celery sticks (optional)
DIRECTIONS:
1. Deep fry* wings at 400°F (HIGH) for 12 minutes or until cooked and crispy; drain.
2. In large bowl, combine Frank's RedHot Sauce and butter. Toss wings in sauce to coat completely. If desired, serve with blue cheese salad dressing and celery sticks.


Wing Sauce Variation: Toss cooked wings in 3/4 cup FRANK'S® REDHOT® Buffalo Wing Sauce.
*Alternate Cooking Directions:
Bake 1 hour at 425°F until fully cooked and crispy, turning halfway.
Broil 6-inches from heat 15 to 20 minutes, turning once.
Grill over medium heat 30 to 40 minutes, turning often.

</td></tr></tbody> </table>

Pico Pica has some fire, but the flavor is amazing. Great with Mexican food, eggs, etc.

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B0000GGHZQ.01-A1LNXKO0F6VQJE.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

[clinthopson]

I can't figure out how to post all those cool images you guys do so I'll just list some of my favorite hot sauces:

Cajun Chef red and green
Bufalo Chipotle and Picante
El Tapatio
Crystal

No kitchen is complete without a big bottle of Tabasco.

[Enforcer]

I'm a Tabasco freak. It's old reliable for me. I put it on lots of stuff. The original kind.

[Ron Thorne]

I enjoyed Tabasco Sauce for decades, but have grown tired of its taste in recent times. In fact, my father used to joke with friends that I was "weaned on Tabasco sauce." I still have a bottle in the cupboard, of course.

I much prefer the flavor of Red Rooster, Frank's and other similar Louisiana hot sauces, especially ones which include garlic.
http://www.baumerfoods.com/products/images/hotsauce12oz_lg.gif
Crystal Hot Sauce is another favorite in that category from Louisiana.

Another one I grew up with was Trappey's Mexi-Pep, a staple in our kitchen in Florida. In fact, I've never tasted a Trappey's product I don't like. Mexi-Pep is made from three red chiles, red tabasco, red jalapeno and red cayenne. It's very full-flavored, but a bit hard-to-find these days.

http://www.mybrandsinc.com/ShopOnline/Images/WB/101_4815910218.JPG

Trappey's also used to make my very favorite pickled peppers, Serrano peppers, but are no longer making them. I've looked high and low for them, and they seem to have stopped production a few years ago for reasons unknown. Hell, I thought I could keep 'em in business, singlehandedly. :cool: Trappey's brine is utter perfection, and they cold-pack their pickled peppers to maintain more firmness and flavor.

I always have a jar of these on hand. I tasted my first one of these before 1st grade. They're Trappey's green Tabasco peppers in vinegar. A shake of the hot vinegar on collards, black-eyed peas or mustard greens is sho nuf tasty. They provide a plastic inner lid w/ center hole for that exact purpose.

http://www.latinmerchant.com/images/product/HotPreserves%20%288%29.jpg

And, these.

http://www.mybrandsinc.com/ShopOnline/Images/WB/101_4815940443.GIF

Torrido Santa Fe Grande

Not as good as their Serranos were, but a close 2nd.