Expert: Chef Mike Date: 9/17/2001 Subject: What'll I Do With Cayenne Peppers
Question Hey Chef Mike
I've grown some long, red, cayenne peppers. So far the only thing I know to do with them is let then dry out then cut them up into chili. Sure seems like there's a lot more that I could do with them. Any suggestions?
Answer Hi Rich, what a great question.
There is certainly no limit to what you can come up with for using your peppers. There's four main ways that come to mind as far as treating the peppers themselves. You can of course use the fresh and dried, but also don't leave out smoked/grilled, and roasted. I have several suggestions for uses in recipes for you, see what strikes your fancy:
1. smoke them on the barbeque for chilis, soups, salsas,
huevos rancheros, gumbo, or a zesty sour cream dip.
2. red mole sauce:
cook a mixture of ground chiles, herbs,
spices, sesame seeds, and corn tortillas with a little
water(and maybe a dash of tequilla). Puree and serve over
pork or chicken.
3. enchillada/taco sauce:
saute diced onions, garlic, and
green onions. Add tomato juice, chili powder, coriander,
cumin, and cayenne. Cook about 30-45 min. and then puree.
Serve with tacos or ladle over a pan of tortillas and top
with sharp cheddar cheese.
4. peanut butter sauce:
this is great with thai style sates
(chicken skewers). In small sauce pot heat chicken broth,
coconut milk, minced garlic, minced ginger, chopped
parley, and a pinch of salt. When it comes to a boil,
add dried chiles, and whisk in peanut butter until
slightly thickened. Finish with a few drops of sesame
oil. A nice presentation is to put the warm sauce in a
melon half and stick the skewers into the sides of the
melon.
5. make your own chili powder:(play with it to your taste)
You'll swear off the store brands for sure after using
this.
2 oz. new mexico red chiles
2 oz. ancho chiles(dried pablanos)
2 oz. chipoltes(dried jalapenos)
1 oz. toasted cayenne
6 T toasted cumin seeds
4 T granulated garlic (avoid powder)
4 T Mexican orgegano
2 T Hungarian Paprika(may be left out if desired)
Cut the fresh chiles in half,seed them, and lay on a
cookie sheet. Toast in oven at about 250 degrees until
crisp. Meanwhile, on stovetop roast cumin seeds on low
to moderate heat until toasted, being careful not to
scorch them. Crush chiles and cumin seed in a mortar or
a coffee bean grinder also works well. Blend with rest
the ingredients and store in air tight jar.
Cayenne peppers are fairly hot, so use judgement. Let's compare them to jalapenos for instance. On the Scoville scale of heat, jal. peppers rate from 2.5-5 thousand units. Cayenne, rates 30-50 thousand units. Then you get the really hot stuff with habaneros at between 100-300 thousand units.
I hope this inspires you to try some different stuff with your peppers and have some fun in the kitchen. Write back anytime with more questions,
Chef Mike
