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Chef2Chef Recipe Club - Volume 5 Issue 81 - October 20, 2003 Chef2Chef Recipe Club Member Forum: http://forums.chef2chef.net -------------------------------------------------- Hello Recipe Club, Cowboy, Poet and famous Chuckwagon Chef Kent Rollins will be our featured host next week. This week we'll talk about hot and spicy foods. Hot and Spicy foods can be found everywhere today. And I'm not talking Chicken Wings (but I will), I mean Thai, Vietnamese, Chinese, Mexican, African, Indian Curries, Southwestern and more applications in more cuisine's than I can mention. Once hooked, the quest to find new ingredients and recipes can be addictive! Addictive? Oh yeah. The thought here is that once you have set your mouth on fire, the brain releases endorphins into your blood stream which give you an almost drugged like feeling. The products available in specialty shops and online are overwhelming in their scope. Literally thousand of products just in the sauce and salsa category alone are available and they are very inexpensive, so sampling them to find just the right flavor and heat is an affordable treat. I personally have about 10 favorites that are on hand all the time and I have a special spot on top of my spice cabinet for display! Today lets talk about heat from peppers. Fresh, frozen or dried they are the most popular ingredient used in spicy dishes. For over 6000 years peppers (Capsicum genus) have been used as a cooking ingredient and there are over 400 different varieties being grown around the world today. Early this century a pharmacologist named Wilber Scoville came up with a method to measure the capsaicin in a pepper. That's stuff in peppers that run through the veins and seeds that dictate how darn hot that pepper will be. You can rarely tell how hot a pepper is by looking at it. Don't you just love those cute little orange ones called Habaneros, don't be fooled, they'll set you mouth on fire. So this Scoville guy set up a scale by which all peppers are graded as to their heat level. It starts at zero and continues to climb as new scorching hot peppers are produced. A mild bell pepper might have a Scoville Unit rating of around 1000 (parts per million of capsaicin), while a jalapeno will come in around 4000 units. Wow, you think those jalapenos are hot? A habanero can contain up to and over 300,000 Scoville Units. Downright dangerous! Chiles are rich in Vitamin A and C. A two-ounce Chile has more than twice your daily requirement of Vitamin A. When you are buying peppers look for a firm, solid flesh that is unblemished and has an even coloring. They have a good shelf life and should be kept in a cooler in a plastic bag until ready to use. If you are handling really hot peppers use a pair of those surgical gloves that are available in the Pharmacy area of your supermarket. Do not touch your eyes or certain sensitive spots on your body after handling hot peppers. It's a lesson you can learn from someone with a bad experience or two.ME! Dried whole chiles should be clean, shiny, and not broken. Store like you do all your spices, in a cool dark area in a sealed container or bag. To reconstitute them cover them with hot water in a bowl until they are soft and you can work with them. The majority of the heat in a pepper is in the veins and seeds. To tone down a dish and get the flavor of the pepper without as much heat, remove the veins and seeds before you incorporate them into your dish. One more tip before we go on. If you are eating hot foods heated by peppers, and your face bursts into flames and you need to put out the fire, water is not the answer. It only makes it worse, drink milk or a piece of bread or toast with butter. Or run to your freezer and gobble up some ice cream. Now that's a good excuse to eat ice cream! -------------------------------------------------- Hot Stuff! ForBurns.com If you're near a fire, you're near a potential accident. Have on hand what firefighters, emergency responders, our U.S. Armed Forces and Professional Chefs use for treating their burns - - -Water-Jel and Burn-Jel Emergency Burn Care Products. They cool the burn, prevent infection and stop the pain. You can order an introductory package for just $7.95 plus $2.00 shipping and handling by going to http://html.chef2chef.net/goto.php?id=349 or calling 1-800-645-6789. Our website gives you all the information you need - make the choice of professionals today! Be prepared. -------------------------------------------------- Peanut Marinade (For Satay) Ingredients: 1/2 cup chunky peanut butter 1/2 cup peanut oil 1/4 cup white wine vinegar 1/4 cup tamari (or substitute low-sodium soy sauce 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (approx. 1 large lemon) 4 cloves garlic; minced 8 cilantro sprigs; minced 1 whole dried red chile pepper; minced 2 tsp. chopped fresh ginger Instructions: Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor. Blend well to emulsify, adding a few drips of water if the mixture is too thick. Marinate beef or chicken (or pork) overnight. Notes: The traditional thick dipping sauce for satay, the Indonesian skewered beef (or chicken or pork) dish, is the inspiration for this marinade. To create satay skewers, thread thin, 1-inch-wide slices of marinated beef or chicken (or pork) onto wood skewers and grill them 2 minutes per side over red-hot coals. Serve the marinade as a dipping sauce, if desired. Contributor: Carol Miller-Tutzauer -------------------------------------------------- A simple soup to prepare. Nigerian Style Peanut Soup 2 servings Ingredients: 2 cups chicken broth or stock 1 1/2 sm. Dried green chili peppers, finely chopped 1/4 cup Each diced green bell pepper and onion 3 tbsp. Chunky-style peanut butter Instructions: In 1-quart saucepan heat the broth, add chili peppers and bring mixture to a boil. Stir in bell pepper and onion and return to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and let simmer until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Reduce heat to lowest possible temperature, add peanut butter and cook, stirring constantly, until peanut butter is melted and mixture is well blended. Makes 2 servings. -------------------------------------------------- Honey Mustard Chicken - a Bandana Bandito Gourmet Collection Series taste treat! Bandana Bandito's new Gourmet Collection Series products have spawned a clutch of new recipes that take San Antonio taste to a new level. At the top of the list is David Nelson's Honey Mustard Chicken - a melt-in-the-mouth concoction using Bandana Bandito's new Sweet Mustard Marinade. Click here to get Honey Mustard Chicken, plus a bonus recipe now. http://www.bandito.com/c2c_recipe_oct.html Only available to Chef2Chef Newsletter subscribers. Bandana Bandito's Gourmet Collection Series, including Sweet Mustard Marinade, Strawberry Chipotle Sauce, South Texas Creole Sauce, and 6 other Tex/Mex tastes are available in singles, cases or gift sets from the Bandana Bandito. http://www.bandito.com/c2c_recipe_oct.html or call 800.880.5938 for more info. -------------------------------------------------- Roasting peppers is a very common practice for adding additional flavor to a dish. I grow Anaheim peppers every year and grill them with my steaks. I also make a wonderful grilled salsa that is easy and great on steaks and grilled meaty fish filets. Roast your peppers on a grill, over a gas flame or in an oven until the skin is black and blistered. Immediately place them into a plastic bag and let them steam. This facilitates the easy removal of the skins. Remove the skins and you are ready to make all kinds of wonderful dishes. If I'm in a hurry but still want to make a fun fish sauce, I'll take a package of Knorr Newburg Sauce and prepare it according to the instructions on the package. Meanwhile I'll roast a red bell pepper and one jalapeno. Remove the veins and seeds once they are peeled. Then I put the sauce and the peeled peppers into a blender and presto, instant Red Bell Pepper Sauce. It really is great, use less jalapeno if you are not into too spicy! -------------------------------------------------- Grilled Pico De Gallo Serves 4 Preparation Total: 20 Traditional Mexican salsa with a twist. Grill your veggies before making them into a salsa to go with grilled meat or fish. 2 tomatoes, peeled, sliced 3/4" thick 1 red onion, sliced 1/2" thick 1 yellow bell pepper, cut in half, seeded 1/2 jalapeno, seeded, ribs removed 1 tablespoon lime juice 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped 1 pinch salt 1/8 teaspoon cracked peppercorns Grill the tomatoes, onion, and peppers until the tomatoes are marked and warm through, the onion is slightly browned and soft and the pepper's skin has blistered and browned. Remove them from the heat and cool until they can be easily handled. Gently remove the skin from peppers. Chop all veggies into small pieces (about 1/3" dice) and put them in a small bowl. Add the cilantro, lime juice and seasoning. If you want more spice to the salsa add a little more spice mix. Best if eaten right away. Make as close to serving time as possible. -------------------------------------------------- Signature Secret A "signature" dish shows off a chef's or restaurant's creativity - an item worthy of bearing the name of the creator. In the same tradition, Signature Secrets culinary thickener provides the very best in thickening - speed, versatility, stability, appearance and taste - in hot or cold preparations. That's correct. You do not even have to cook Signature Secrets culinary thickener. It delivers smooth, appealing, lump-free textures in soups and sauces, gravies, dressings, and desserts. And they'll stay that way in and out of the freezer or refrigerator, saving you time and energy. This product is now available for the home cook, personal chef or caterer and home cook at our online store. Click Here http://html.chef2chef.net/goto.php?id=205 -------------------------------------------------- Now here is a soup that I adapted from a recipe years ago and I can't remember the author. I apologize for that. This is a basic chicken noodle soup with a Thai twist. It is not too hot by itself, but it is served with a sauce on the side that you add yourself until you get it just right. It's heat comes from dried cayenne pepper, plenty of it! I add it liberally and will sweat with this one. It is a favorite around here and is easy to make. Let me know what you think! THAI STYLE CHICKEN, CELLOPHANE NOODLE AND STRAW MUSHROOM SOUP Serves 6 Preparation Total: 45 This wonderfully pungent soup can be made with almost any cooked bird meat. I have even made it with cured and smoked duck meat. I think it is one of my favorite variations. 1 1/2 cups cooked chicken meat 1/2 teaspoon garlic, chopped 1/8 cup lime juice, fresh squeezed is best 1-tablespoon fish sauce 2 teaspoons soy sauce 2 teaspoons sugar 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper 3 1/2 cups chicken stock, strained for clarity 1 14 oz. can straw mushrooms 1 1/2 ounces cellophane noodles 8 each baby carrots, sliced thinly 1 stalk celery, thinly sliced on a bias 2 teaspoons red bell peppers, small dice 2 teaspoons red onions, diced 1 each scallions, thinly sliced PUNGENT THAI SAUCE FOR SOUPS ( Recipe Below) If you have time, prepare the stock a day ahead, so that it can be chilled overnight. Remove any hardened fat that will have settled to the top of the stock. Reheat the stock and strain it for clarity. Or use canned broth. Place the cooked chicken meat in a bowl. Combine the garlic, lime juice, fish sauce, soy sauce and sugar and stir briskly to dissolve the sugar. Pour it over the cooked meat and stir to coat. Allow to marinate for an hour at least. Open the can of mushrooms and add the broth to the stock, bring both to a boil. Once boiling, add the cellophane noodle and fresh vegetable and boil for about 8 minutes or until the noodles succumb to the tooth. Add the mushrooms. Lift the meat out of the bowl with a slotted spoon and add it to the stock. Bring the soup back to a boil and remove from the heat. Stir and taste. You can adjust the intensity of the soup by adding some or all of the marinade. Personally, I add it all! Serve this soup in clear bowls if you have them with the PUNGENT THAI SAUCE listed below on the side. Caution, add a little at a time until you have the right heat for you. . -------------------------------------------------- Got a Passion for Cooking or know someone who does? Make it your Career! Shop and compare TOP US Culinary Institutes that offer Financial Aid and Job Placement. Request Information today and get your Career cooking in just 15 months! Chef2Chef.Net/Culinary-Institute -------------------------------------------------- Pungent Thai Sauce For Soups Serves 4 Preparation Total: 15 1 teaspoon garlic, finely chopped 1/2 cup Rose's Lime Juice 3 teaspoons cayenne pepper 3 tablespoons fish sauce 2 tablespoons soy sauce 6 teaspoons sugar Combine the ingredients in a bowl and whisk to incorporate. -------------------------------------------------- QUESTIONS, Comments, Technical Support: http://forums.chef2chef.net |