Friday, July 3, 2009

Firecrackers for the Mouth: Eat ‘em and weep



Whether you’re looking to add a little sparkle to a meal or you want to experience an explosive bang, there’s a pepper to suit your needs.

Though sweet green bell peppers are the most popular garden variety, peppers come in an amazing array of colors, shapes, sizes and flavors. While green peppers have no heat, the intensity of other varieties is measured by the Scoville Heat Unit. The scale measures a substance called capsaicin, the chemical that gives peppers their spice.

Though many think of peppers in relation to Mexican food, peppers are an important ingredient in Asian, Indian and Latin American meals as well.

In addition to their use as a fiery spice, peppers have been long known for their medicinal properties. Hot pepper supplements –mainly cayenne, are useful for circulatory and digestive health, as well for arthritis. Topical warming gel made from pepper heat is great for those suffering from the aches of arthritis or sore muscles.

If you want to experience pyrotechnics long after the fireworks display ends, hot peppers are easy to store and preserve for use throughout the year and can be easily dried, frozen or canned.

But just like the July 4th fireworks, safety precautions need to use used when dealing with hot peppers. Gloves should be worn while preparing peppers to avoid burning your skin and other sensitive mucus membranes that your hands might touch after preparation.

Easy to grow, and fun to eat, hot peppers can make the dog days of July feel cool by comparison.

Enjoy the recipes below and have a safe and fun 4th of July!

Pepper Type and Scoville Unit Heat Rating:
Habanero 200,000-300,000
Red Amazon 75,000
Pequin 75,000
Chiltecepin 70,000-75,000
Tabasco 30,00-50,000
Cayenne 35,000
Arbol 25,000
Japone 25,000
Smoked Jalepeno (Chipotle) 10,000
Serrano 7,000-25,000
Puya 5,000
Guajillo 5,000
Jalepeno 3,500-4,500
Poblano 2,500-3,000
Pasilla 2,500
TAM Mild Jalepeno-1 1,000-1,500
Anaheim 1,000-1,400
New Mexican 1,000
Ancho 1,000
Bell and Pimento 0

Chipotle BBQ Sauce
3 cups

8oz tomato paste
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup blackstrap molasses
1/2 cup ketchup
1/8 cup cider vinegar
juice of 1 large lemon
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon liquid smoke
1 teaspoon ground chipotle
1 pinch salt
1/2 cup tomato puree

Whisk all together in a large bowl. Great with chicken. To grind chipotle you may dried chipotle and use a coffee grinder to grind.

Coconut Cilantro Chutney
2 cups

1 cup freshly grated coconut or 10 tablespoons dried and 8 tablespoons water, soaked for at least one hour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 fresh jalapeño chilies, seeded and chopped
2 medium shallots, chopped
3 cups cilantro leaves, chopped
2 inch piece of fresh ginger, finely chopped
2 teaspoons peanut oil
1 1/2 teaspoons whole brown mustard seeds

Combine coconut, salt, sugar, lemon juice, chilies, shallots, and 4 tablespoons water in blender. Blend to a fine paste.
Add cilantro and ginger. Blend again adding more water if needed. Place oil in a small pan over medium heat. When very hot, add the mustard seeds stirring constantly. Roast until they start to pop. Remove from heat and add to chutney.
This sauce goes very well with seafood, especially scallops. Add to the pan to warm after searing the seafood. Serve with rice.

Recipes are courtesy of Emma's Food for Life restaurant, Selinsgrove, PA

http://www.emmasfoodforlife.com/

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