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August 6, 2001 -- Chile peppers can be used to perk up a dull dish. (SHNS file photo)
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By Sara Gauchat
Scripps Howard News Service
While chile peppers began appearing in the American colonies by the 17th century, it wasn't until the 1975 publication of "Hellfire Cookbook" (New York Quadrangle) -- devoted entirely to hot and spicy recipes -- that the U.S. chile craze began in earnest. "People used to assume chiles were only eaten by nuts," says Dave "Pope of Peppers" DeWitt, author of The Chile Pepper Encyclopedia. "They thought chiles all came in one burn-you-out heat level because they didn't understand the complexities." This misconception is quickly disappearing. From the fire-inducing habanero to the mild, sweet ancho, chiles can elevate a dish from the ordinary to an explosion of the sublime. "Too many people don't realize chiles have so much flavor," says Bobby Flay, host of Food Network's cooking show "Hot Off the Grill." "They run the gamut from earthy to smoky to fiery to sweet." While sweet is perfect for some recipes, when brave eaters get the chile craving, they want to test their mettle with some real heat. "People want to jazz up their lives and their palates by adding heat and flavor," says DeWitt. "They find a heat they like and then they stick with it. It provides a major distinction that foods normally don't have -- like putting garlic in your mashed potatoes or cream in your coffee." "People who eat a lot of peppers become addicted to the heat," Flay adds. "It starts out really hard for them, but then they learn to love it." Just be sure to know what your taste buds can handle. Flay won a bet when his business partner foolishly (and dangerously) boasted he could consume an entire habanero without breaking a sweat -- then spent a good half-hour coughing over a sink after merely a sliver touched his tongue. Which brings us to Burn Relief 101. When preparing chiles, wear gloves or wash your hands thoroughly afterwards to avoid burning your eyes or sensitive skin. Dairy products and sugar best soothe the chile after burn for tongues -- and this is the one time, happily, when the thicker and fattier the dairy, the better. So if you're going to try some fiery flavors, stay within arm's reach of some milk, yogurt or ice cream. If you can't handle all that heat at once, it's easy to store your chiles for future use. Freeze your fresh peppers -- you'll lose a little texture but none of the spice. "Chop up your roasted and peeled peppers and put them in an ice cube tray in the freezer to make cubes, which are much easier to cook with later," advises DeWitt. Dried chiles keep well for weeks. Once you're ready to use them, Flay (who swears by his chipotles) advocates rehydrating, peeling, seeding, and pureeing to make chile paste for cooking. Here's a guide to the heat in peppers. - Jalapeno: The jalapeno has the distinction of being the most-consumed chile pepper in the United States. (Nachos, anyone?) Its ease of seeding and spicy flavor keep the masses clamoring for more with a heat level that ranges from moderately hot to very hot.
- Chipotle: This oft-mispronounced chile (chih-POHT-lay) is actually a dried, smoked, red jalapeno. It has a wrinkled, dark brown skin with a smoky, sweet flavor that hints of chocolate. It's commonly added to sauces and stews.
- Habanero: Order extra sour cream or a tall cow juice before introducing the fiery habanero to your taste buds. About 50 times hotter than the jalapeno, this native of the Yucatan Peninsula and the Caribbean Islands may be the closest thing we have to edible fire (always wear rubber gloves when slicing them). Small and lantern-shaped, with a skin ranging from light green to bright orange when ripe, this chile is generally used both fresh and dried for sauces. There aren't many tongues that can handle it any other way.
- Serrano:Does your salsa or guacamole lack kick? Try adding the serrano chile's extreme heat. This mainly Mexican-grown pepper has a smooth, bright-green skin that turns scarlet, then yellow as it matures. In the American Southwest, people can't get enough of serranos en escabeche (chiles pickled with carrots and onions), which is consumed as a spicy snack.
- Poblano:Chiles rellenos -- you know them, you love them. But did you know that these are actually stuffed poblanos? This dark green, triangular chile boasts a rich flavor that ranges from mild to spicy. When dried, it's called an ancho chile, commonly used in mole sauces.
(For more information visit www.foodtv.com. Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, www.shns.com.)
RESOURCES :
The Chile Pepper Encyclopedia
Model: 0688156118
Author: Dave Dewitt
(1999)
To order this title from Amazon.com, click here.
William Morrow Books / Hearst Books
Website: www.harpercollins.com
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