I used to be nearly “spicy intolerant” – meaning, I could barely look at a jalapeno pepper without my eyes watering. Now I crave spicy foods and dump chipotle salsa in copious quantities on my food.

There’s a Mexican expression, “Si no pica, no es comida,” which translates to “If it doesn’t burn, it isn’t food.”  We’re in Mexico and we always ask for the “salsa picante” because the stuff they usually put out for tourists is mild at best. This time, in front of us was placed a salsa I’d never had before – one made entirely of red onion and no tomatoes.

And lots of habanero! We’re talking lips-melt-off-your-face hot! But it was refreshingly good in all its spicy bad assness.

I’ve not been able to find a recipe, but have done my best to deconstruct it. The onions were slightly pickled by lime juice, which married well with the spiciness of the habanero. If you want a little less heat substitute jalapenos instead.

Click here for the recipe.

Possibly Related Posts:

• The Great Stuffing Debate!
• Wine from Scratch: Wine in the Kitchen
• Kabocha and Ginger Squash Soup
• Tonight Chef and Mixologist Kathy Casey at Nightschool
• Sustainable Found Food Artist

Categories:	Cooking tips • Mexican • Travel • Veggies • condiments	Leave a Comment
Tags:	onion salsa • red onion salsa • salsa • salsa picante • Spicy

Photo: makani5

On evenings when I’m alone, I love a simple dinner of rice with butter and kim chee, and I really like to pile it on.  The hotter the better.  Whether made with cabbages or radish, I love the tang, the heat, and the brightness of this beautiful, fermented creation.  My first taste of kim chee was at an excellent Korean restaurant in, of all places, Rome.  I was studying art, of course, and one night enjoyed an enormous feast and a night of karaoke.  Aretha was eating her heart out that night – yes, I felt like a “natural WOMan” – and I never forgot the food.  I returned later to the same spot, struggling to order in Italian, and have since always had a weakness for kim chee, and many other Korean delicacies.  One day, I hope to make it – so if any of you have a recipe you’d be willing to share, I’d love to hear it.

Possibly Related Posts:

• Friday Fun Links
• Young Winos
• The 2,000 Pound Rib Feast
• Kabocha and Ginger Squash Soup
• How I Slaughtered a Chicken

Categories:	Asian • Seasoning & Spices • Uncategorized • Veggies	5 Comments
Tags:	cabbage • hot • karaoke • kim chee • radish • rome • Spicy • tangy

Photo: Harris Graber

My husband has a heart of gold, the patience of Job, and a cast-iron – no, asbestos – stomach. He’s a man so in love with the hot stuff that he orders the “porn star – xxx” box at our favorite Victoria B.C. noodle bar, The Noodle Box. Embracing the challenge, I have experimented with a variety of chili recipes. The following is my favorite recipe that allows for many variations based on the level of heat desired and a variety of ingredients.* Now you, too may seek out the porn star the next time you order ‘take out,’ too.

Anyone enjoying a little kick should enjoy this recipe – varying the heat by choosing a more or less mild chili and removing the seeds if you desire a lesser heat. Asbestos esophagus not required.

Chili Sauce

Ingredients:

Chilis – this recipe is designed to be used with fresh chilis (as opposed to those of the dried or smoked variety). The number of seeds and the vein holding those seeds used in your recipe will often dictate the heat, though the removal of all seeds does not necessarily remove all heat.

Acid – This is a key element. You may use either a little vinegar or a lemon or lime (I prefer to use lemon/limes).

Salt – to taste.

Oil – I prefer extra virgin olive oil. Realistically, the flavors are so intense that the delicacy of extra-virgin can be lost, however, I find the silky quality that extra-virgin brings to this recipe to be a nice addition (needless to say, you don’t need anything expensive here).

Garlic – Again, this is critical. You may vary the amount you use, but don’t skip this ingredient.

Ginger – Adding this ingredient will truly transform your chili from good to great. I use fresh ginger – though I realize that for many, fresh ginger is something that may not be something you keep in your pantry on a regular basis. My mom, Val (yes, this is Trifle and Apple Tart Val introduced to you regular readers to Sheri’s earlier blogs) taught me a fantastic way to keep fresh ginger in my pantry and avoid the shriveled fingers that inevitably result when I buy ginger and don’t use it fast enough. We peal and slice the ginger, in chunks or slivers, and put them in a bottle covered in dry Sherry (the cheaper stuff will do). I use this bottled ginger in all recipes that call for some – just give it a rinse and I dare you to tell me you can tell the difference between this and fresh when cooked.

Sugar – I think a little sugar is a nice addition. I prefer to use a little brown sugar – start with a ¼ to ½ tsp depending on the amount you’re making, but feel free to add more to taste. I do think that an orange or grapefruit could be an interesting acid to add to this – which has a greater sugar content than lemon or limes, so you might want to skip this ingredient if you choose a sweeter citrus here. Again – play around with this, don’t hold back.

Technique:

The proportions vary depending on how much you want to make. I generally use approximately 4 cups of rough chopped chilis to 4-5 cloves of garlic and 2 teaspoons of ginger. But mix it up, these proportions are estimates, I don’t follow the recipe to any exactness.

Lightly sauté the chilis, garlic and ginger in olive oil (be generous, but realize you’ll be adding more later, so there’s no hard and fast rule here). Cook for approximately 10 minutes, though it can be cooked longer. The longer you cook it, the smoother the mixture will be. I prefer a more fresh tasting chili, hence the shorter cooking time. But experiment with this step. You can’t go wrong.

Put this entire mixture into your food processor with more oil (at least ½ a cup – but really it’s to taste), salt (at least a ½ teaspoon – but again, to taste), and the acid of your choice. I prefer a less vinegary chili, but go for it if you like it. I prefer the juice of a ½ to a whole lime or lemon, again to taste. You can add the acid (and the salt) at any stage.

Blend in your food processor to the desired consistency. Let this be a recipe you play with – don’t feel constrained by proportions. Enjoy!

*Be aware that chilis vary in heat, even if you take out all the seeds and veins. So, be careful as you prepare this if you, or someone at your table, is sensitive to the heat.

Possibly Related Posts:

• The Great Stuffing Debate!
• Wine from Scratch: Wine in the Kitchen
• Kabocha and Ginger Squash Soup
• Tonight Chef and Mixologist Kathy Casey at Nightschool
• Sustainable Found Food Artist

Categories:	Cooking tips • Sauces • Seasoning & Spices • Veggies	2 Comments
Tags:	capsicum • chili • chili sauce • foodista • hot • noodle box • peppers • Spicy

Well, I don’t have a recipe for you today, but I couldn’t resist sharing these beautiful purple peppers with you. I had never seen the likes of them before I spied them in my friend’s garden. They’re tiny, about the size of the tip of your thumb. They look benign, but one tiny bite and your face feels like it ceases to exist. But if used in small quantities they will flavor your dish wonderfully – just wear gloves. Trust me.

Possibly Related Posts:

• Crispy Baked Chickpeas
• Foodie Wedding Gifts
• Time to Get Your Barbecue on!
• Hunger Awareness Week Day 1
• Vegetarian Goulash Soup With Tofu

Categories:	Seasoning & Spices	3 Comments
Tags:	capsicum • Food • foodista • peppers • purple peppers • Spicy

At the end of summer, my aunt Mimi and I used to roll up our sleeves and dive into pepper jelly making. It was so fun spending the afternoon filling jar after jar with our beautiful, sweet and spicy jelly. It’s been a few years since I’ve made it, but seeing Marco Arment’s lovely photo (above) makes me want to stock up on jelly jars and sequester myself to the kitchen.

Spread a good soft cheese on a cracker and smother it with this yummy jelly. The fun begins when the heat kicks in!

I’ve always used jalapeno or habanero peppers, but Gourmet’s recipe for Red Pepper Jelly, found on Epicurious, sounds delicious too.

Possibly Related Posts:

• Friday Fun Links
• Canning Month on Foodista
• Crispy Baked Chickpeas
• Canning Cherries and Apricots
• Canning is cool

Categories:	Canned Goods • Seasoning & Spices	7 Comments
Tags:	Food • foodista • pepper jelly • red pepper jelly • Spicy

Sorry music lovers, I’m not talking about the band, I’m talking about the capsicum. Although both do add spice to your life.

You don’t have to be a “hot head” (a.k.a. lover of spicy foods) to appreciate these beautiful chili wreaths. You can pluck from them for your cooking pleasure or just let them colorfully adorn your kitchen. There are a couple of shops in Pike Place Market that hand string these, and I am always like a kid in a candy shop oooing and aahing over the row upon row of them.

That’s the short of spicy of it for today!

Possibly Related Posts:

• Kabocha and Ginger Squash Soup
• Winter Squash is Delicious, Healthy, and in Season
• Moorish Badenjan Dip
• Eating Local in the Northwest
• How Does One Suddenly Go Vegan

Categories:	Seasoning & Spices • Veggies	4 Comments
Tags:	capsicum • chili • Chili Peppers • Food • foodista • pepper wreaths • peppers • pike place market • Spicy • wreaths

Whenever I go downtown to Pike Place Market I’m always sucked into the Spanish Table. There’s no way around it, and I always end up parting ways with more dolares ($) than I intended. Needless to say, it’s a wonderful establishment and I always leave happy – usually with a bunch of anchovy stuffed olives in my hand.

Today I was thrilled to find a shipment of Padrón peppers had just arrived from Happy Quail Farms located in East Palo Alto, California. When we lived in Palo Alto we frequently bought from Happy Quail Farms, and we were delighted to find their produce had made it all the way up to the Pacific Northwest.

Padrón peppers, named after the Spanish municipality in which they are grown, and are a typical tapa. They’re small, sweet and mild, although occasionally you do come across an errant hot one. Peppers grown in June/July tend to be milder, while those grown in August/September tend to pack more heat. But that’s not a strict rule of thumb, so it’s a bit like playing Russian Roulette. I hope you enjoy spicy surprises, you just may get one!

1. Start with 1/2 to 1 pound of pimientos de Padrón
2. Wash the peppers and dry on a paper towel.
3. Heat a frying pan with a small amount of olive oil, just enough to cover the bottom of the pan
4. Add the peppers when the oil begins to smoke just a bit
5. Fry the peppers shaking the pan so that all sides cook
6. As the peppers start to blister, sprinkle liberally with kosher salt.
7. Once the peppers are slightly browned and blistered on all sides, remove from heat and cover in pan for 2-3 minutes.
8. Add a bit more salt, hold by the stem, and eat while they’re hot!

Possibly Related Posts:

• Kabocha and Ginger Squash Soup
• Winter Squash is Delicious, Healthy, and in Season
• Moorish Badenjan Dip
• Eating Local in the Northwest
• How Does One Suddenly Go Vegan

Categories:	Latin • Veggies	8 Comments
Tags:	Chili Peppers • Food • foodista • peppers • pimientos de padron • Spanish • Spicy • tapa • tapas

Oh, wasabi…let me count the ways I love you.

In the spring when my sinuses are blocked from allergies you quickly clear them like no nasal spray can. And for that I am deeply and forever grateful.

You give us a big laugh when we switch the green tea ice cream for a big glump of you when our friend isn’t looking.

You grow along the beds of pure and gentle mountain brooks in Japan. The thought of which is so beautiful it makes me want to write haiku about you.

I quickly forgive you of the pain caused when I ingest too much. And stifle my screams when it feels as if my nose will melt off my face. Instead I hold my nose and exclaim, “Ooo, it hurts so good!”

But, my dear readers, I must break an ugly secret to you. Most of the wasabi we eat is faux wasabi. Yes, faux! <Gasp!> It’s a combination of plain old horseradish, mustard, corn starch, food coloring and an ever so tiny amount of the real stuff. But I don’t blame sushi restaurants for whipping up a cheaper version as the real deal costs about $60 or more a pound.

How can you tell if you’re eating the real stuff? Well, if you’re plucking your sushi off of a conveyor belt or a boat, I think it’s safe to say it’s faux. Some, albeit few, of the better high-end restaurants will invest in the good stuff, as your bill will reflect. But, like a fine wine, the taste is cleaner and smoother and packs a much more powerful punch. The texture is also grainier, much like fresh grated horseradish, not smooth.

So the next time you’re at an expensive sushi restaurant sit at the counter (the best seat in the house) and ask the chef, “Hon-wasabi desu ka?” (Is the wasabi real?)

Itadakimasu! (Let’s eat!)

Possibly Related Posts:

• Friday Fun Links
• Young Winos
• The 2,000 Pound Rib Feast
• Kabocha and Ginger Squash Soup
• How I Slaughtered a Chicken

Categories:	Japanese • Seasoning & Spices • Uncategorized	1 Comment
Tags:	horseradish • Japanese • spices • Spicy • sushi • wasabi

I love Mexican food. So much so that I think I was Mexicana in a previous life. Actually, I say that when I eat just about any food, really. I’ve been Japanese, French, Italian…you get the picture.

My newest love is mole. You’re probably saying, “Well, what took you so long?” Honestly, I had a bit of a bad experience years ago (I’ll spare you the gory details) and have been a bit averse to trying this rich dish again. But with a less whimpy belly, a fierce gusto for food and a recent trip back to Mexico, I tried it once more.

“Holy mole this is good!” I cried with gastronomical glee. I.Am.Hooked.

I know visually it may not knock your socks off, but believe me taste-wise it will.

Mole (pronounced mo-lay) is like curry. In fact, mole is a generic term for “sauce” and, like curry, comes in a variety of flavors. Such as, guacamole, or “avocado sauce.”

Probably the most well-know mole is Mole Poblano which is made from dried chili peppers, a whole gang of spices such as cinnamon and cloves, ground seeds and nuts, Mexican chocolate (stay with me now, it’s great), aromatics…oh the list goes on!

It’s no easy thing to whip up a mole. Well, a good traditional Mole Poblano, that is. It can take days to prepare a truly authentic one. But the good news is there are a variety of premade moles readily available at your local Mexican market or markets that carry ethnic foods.

We bought a Mole Verde (green mole) and prepared it with chicken like so:

We julienned some red and yellow peppers along with a large sweet yellow onion. Then we sauteed them in a large pan with a bit of olive oil until browned, removed them from the pan and set aside. In the same pan we heated up some more olive oil and browned a whole chicken (cut into parts). Once browned we added the pepper and onion mixture to the chicken. In a separate saucepan we heated the entire jar of mole and a bottle of white wine (minus a sip or two – wink, wink) until thoroughly mixed. We then added the sauce to the chicken and simmered the whole shebang for hours. You want to simmer at least a good two hours to allow the flavors to truly marry.

Muuuuuy delicioso!

If you have nothing better to do on a Sunday afternoon try one of these great mole recipes from Ramekins. I specifically like the sound of Mole Poblano #5.

Possibly Related Posts:

• The Great Stuffing Debate!
• Wine from Scratch: Wine in the Kitchen
• Tonight Chef and Mixologist Kathy Casey at Nightschool
• How I Slaughtered a Chicken
• Moose, it’s What’s for Dinner

Categories:	Cooking tips • Latin • Meat & Poultry • Mexican • Nuts • Sauces • Seasoning & Spices • Travel	4 Comments
Tags:	aromatics • chicken • Chili Peppers • cooking • Food • foodista • Mexican • Mexico • mole • Nuts • pepper • recipe • recipes • sauce • seeds • spices • Spicy

When you land at the airport in Obregón, Mexico, as we did on our way back from Puerto Vallarta, you can buy candied apples for $2 a piece. And here’s the best part – the Mexican Immigration and Customs officials are the ones selling them! Like Girl Scouts selling cookies they have them sitting right there on the desk in a cardboard box. A dozen or so beautiful tamarind candied apples wrapped in cellophane and tied with little ribbons. I’d love to know how the wife suckered her Customs Official-husband into selling her apples to tourists. “Gustavo, just a few, por favor. They’ll love them, just you wait.” And we did. On the way down we bought one and the way back we bought five. How do you like them apples?

After tasting the tamarind apple I will no longer be able to eat a regular old caramel apple (when was the last time I had one anyway I cannot tell you). It was unlike anything we had ever eaten. Crisp Granny Smith apples were wrapped in a paste made of tamarind (a sweet and sour fruit pulp), chili powder, sugar and salt. The result is a perfect balance of sweet, sour, salty and spicy.

Wouldn’t it be nice if our Customs officials sold sweet little treats to tourists…apple by apple we could whittle away at the national debt!

Possibly Related Posts:

• More Than You Want to Know About Cranberry Sauce
• How to Get the Seeds out of a Pomegranate
• Raw Tacos
• Winter Squash is Delicious, Healthy, and in Season
• Breadfruit Coconut Curry

Categories:	Fruit • Mexican • Seasoning & Spices • Travel	17 Comments
Tags:	apples • Food • foodista • Mexico • sour • spices • Spicy • sweet • Sweets • tamarind • Travel