Hoopes - 101 Things to Do with Chile Peppers

101 Things To Do With Chili Peppers

Sandra Hoopes

101 Things To Do With Chili Peppers

Digital Edition 1.0

Text 2017 Sandra Hoopes

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced by any means whatsoever without written permission from the publisher, except brief portions quoted for purpose of review.

Gibbs Smith

P.O. Box 667

Layton, Utah 84041

Orders: 1.800.835.4993

www.gibbs-smith.com

ISBN: 978-1-4236-4434-7

1. When choosing the perfect chile for your recipe, you will want to consider size, color, and especially the heat of each chile. The heat of a chile is rated based on a Scoville scale that provides a method for measuring the capsaicin, the heat-producing chemical found in chiles. Some of the more common chiles found in local markets, and used in these recipes, and their Scoville heat units (SHU) ranking are as follows (the larger the ranking number, the hotter the chile):

   Aji Amarillo (30,000 to 50,000) Bright-yellow chile, about 56 inches long. Great for roasting and using in sauces.

   Anaheim (500 to 2,500) Bright-green chile, about 610 inches long. This chile has a fresh grassy flavor and is excellent for roasting and stuffing.

   Ancho (1,000 to 2,000) A poblano that has ripened to red before being dried. This chile has a raisin-like flavor and is one of the three main chiles used in mole.

   Cayenne (30,000 to 50,000) Slender, red or green chile, about 23 inches long. Generally used in dried powder form.

   Chile de arbol (50,000 to 65,000) Small dried chile, about 12 inches long. Great for sauces or braising meat and is excellent for grinding into powder and adding to spice mixes.

   Chipotle (2,500 to 8,000) A jalapeno that has been smoked and dried. Chipotles can be purchased canned and ready to use in a flavorful adobo sauce.

   Fresno (2,500 to 10,000) Similar to a jalapeno in size and shape, this chile turns red as it matures and gets hotter as it ripens.

   Guajillo (2,500 to 5,000) Dried, reddish-brown chile, about 34 inches long. This chile has a complex flavor with a sweet heat that is perfect for soups, stews, and mole.

   Habanero (100,000 to 350,000) Bright-orange chile, about 12 inches long. Habaneros have a fruity flavor that goes well with pork, fruit, and desserts.

   Hatch (5,000 to 6,000) Bright-green chile, about 610 inches long. Similar to an Anaheim chile but grown in Hatch, New Mexico.

   Jalapeno (2,500 to 8,000) Green chile, about 24 inches long. Arguably the most popular chile in the world, this versatile chile can be roasted, fried, or stuffed.

   Mulato (2,500 to 3,000) Dried poblano that has been allowed to fully ripen, making its flavor more complex than an ancho. This is one of the three main chiles used in mole.

   Pasilla (1,000 to 2,000) Long, thin chile that turns brown as it ripens, about 69 inches long. This dried chile is nicknamed the little raisin and is one of the three main chiles used in mole.

   Poblano (1,000 to 2,000) Dark-green chile, about 45 inches long. Perfect for roasting and stuffing.

   Serrano (5,000 to 23,000) Green or red chile, about 13 inches long. Looks like a smaller, thinner version of a jalapeno but is much hotter.

2. How to Roast Fresh Chiles

   • Buy fresh chiles that are firm, without brown spots, wrinkles, or loose skin.

   • Roast chiles outdoors over a wood, charcoal, or gas grill on high heat, or indoors over a gas burner or under the broiler. Cook until skins are charred and blistered on all sides.

   • Remove skins by placing roasted chiles in a heatproof bowl covered tightly with plastic wrap to help create steam, which makes it easier to separate skins from the chiles. Remove blackened skins when chiles are cool enough to handle.

   • The heat from chiles may be reduced by removing the seeds and ribs, where most of the heat resides.

   • Roasted chiles may be frozen with or without skins. Place roasted chiles on a baking sheet that will fit in your freezer and freeze individually. Place frozen chiles in a ziplock bag for easy storage.

3. How to Use Dried Chiles

   • Buy unbroken, whole chiles that are evenly dried with no spots or discolorations. Chiles should be supple and somewhat flexible.

   • Remove stem and seed bulb from each chile then shake out the seeds. Make a long cut down one side to open chile so it will lie flat. Scrape out remaining seeds and dried ribs.

   • Toast chiles in a dry, hot frying pan or griddle, turning often to prevent burning. Toast until fragrant and deeper in color.

   • Do not use any burnt chiles; their flavor will ruin the dish.

   • Place toasted chiles in a bowl and cover with simmering water. Soak for 2025 minutes, or until soft. Remove from water and pat dry.

   • Rehydrated chiles may be pureed. Remove chiles from water, roughly chop, and place in a blender or food processor with a few spoonfuls of the chile soaking water. Blend to desired consistency.

   • Reserve chile water to use in recipes if it has a good flavor and is not bitter.

4. How to Make Chile Powder

   • Clean whole dried chiles with a dry cloth.

   • Remove stem and seed bulb from each chile. Make a long cut down one side to open the chile so it will lie flat. Remove dried ribs and set aside seeds. Chop chiles into large pieces.

   • Toast chiles with seeds in a dry frying pan over low heat until fragrant. Be careful not to burn chiles or seeds. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. Discard any burnt chiles or seeds.

   • Place small batches of cool, dry chile pieces and seeds in a spice grinder or blender and grind into a fine powder. Chiles should be dry enough that they do not make a paste. Store chile powder in an airtight container.

   • For a complex chile flavor, grind several different chiles together.

5. Feeling the burn from chiles may make you grab for a glass of water, but you can put out the flames much faster with a glass of milk, sour cream, or other fatty dairy products that will create a barrier between your tongue and the heat from the chile. You can also take a bite of bread or flour tortilla and keep it pressed against your tongue to absorb the heat.

6. When working with chiles, always be sure to wear rubber gloves, and do not touch your face, eyes, or any other sensitive areas to prevent burning.