Matt Bray – Page 72 – PepperScale

Spicy Avocado Salsa

Guacamole goes chunky…

That’s avocado salsa simply put. It is a guacamole, but with chunks of avocado (among other chopped salsa ingredients) instead of the creamy smooth experience you’ll often get from many store-bought options or recipes. It’s chunky like a salsa, making it a fun guacamole alternative for a game-day or party appetizer.

We like it spicy, so we reach for serrano peppers in this recipe. They may be available at your local grocer, but if they aren’t (or you prefer slightly less heat), a jalapeño pepper works as well.

Fiery Jamaican Curry Powder

by Matt Bray

The exotic flavor of the islands… Curry powder is a seasoning staple around the world, and different regions often have different takes on the popular spice blend. Jamaican curry powder is a perfect case in point. It’s the exotic flavor behind Jamaican curry chicken and …

Spicy Avocado Soup

by Matt Bray

Smoky and smooth…

This is one of our favorite dishes to pair with taco night. This spicy avocado soup recipe is both smoky and smooth. The flavor pairs perfectly with spicy Mexican food of all types, acting as a quenching treat in-between spicy bites.

Though, there’s a bit of a kick here too. Smoked paprika provides some warmth (along with its smokiness), and the touch of cayenne pepper powder adds a bit more simmer (but you can certainly pull it from the recipe to temper the spiciness). We love the soup with a few dashes of Tabasco sauce, but feel free to play with extra avocado and sprinkles of any of the spices in the soup to give it some color along with a texture/flavor boost.

Inca Red Drop Pepper Guide: Heat, Flavor, Uses

by Matt Bray

What are Inca Red Drop peppers? With its tiny profile and tear-drop shape, the Inca Red Drop cuts quite the profile in the garden as an ornamental pepper. But unlike many ornamentals, the Inca Red Drop provides delicious flavor too – a fruitiness akin to …

Chipotle Honey Vinaigrette

by Matt Bray

Perfect for Tex-Mex salads…

Now this is a vinaigrette with a smoky edge. The smoky spiciness of chipotle peppers (and the earthiness of adobo sauce) are the perfect foil to the rich sweetness of honey. Add the tang of red wine vinegar (and a little squeeze of lime too if you prefer), and this is a mouth explosion of flavor that’s perfect for Tex-Mex salads. This is a lot like the dressing you’ll find (and often crave) from your local Chipotle restaurant.

You can spice things up even more with extra chipotle peppers in the sauce – or try an extra teaspoon of adobo sauce in the recipe for an earthier variation of the dressing.

Spicy Parsnip Soup

by Matt Bray

Earthy, hearty, and so much more…

In terms of flavor, parsnips are one heck of a root vegetable. They’re hearty, yes, and earthy too. But the underlying flavor is what makes them so delicious in soups. They have delicious cinnamon-like undertones, like the parsnip was spiced while growing in the earth. It’s why they make such a tasty cream soup – this has “feel good” written all over it.

Crushed red pepper provides some extra punch to this creamy parsnip soup, along with a little warmth from the curry powder as well. It’s not overwhelming – in fact the spices really complement the flavor of the parsnip perfectly.

Aji Colorado Guide: Heat, Flavor, Uses

by Matt Bray

What are Aji Colorado? The aji colorado may not be the first aji pepper that comes to mind when thinking of Peruvian chilies, but there’s a lot to love here, from their strong, yet eatable heat (20,000 to 30,000 Scoville heat units) to their deliciously …

Taco Sour Cream Sauce

by Matt Bray

Perfect for tacos of most any kind…

Putting a dollop of regular sour cream on your taco will seem so plain Jane once you try this super-simple taco sour cream sauce recipe. Here, a little cayenne pepper adds some solid sizzle to the typically mild taco seasoning, though it’s a totally optional add-in.

This recipe is Tex-Mex tasty and perfect for all types of tacos, from ground beef to fish tacos, along with other Mexican and Tex-Mex dishes to boot.

Spicy Piccalilli

by Matt Bray

Perhaps the best condiment on earth…

And no, we aren’t overstating it. Spicy piccalilli is a British condiment treat. A mishmash of fruits, vegetables, chili peppers (in this case jalapeño peppers, red or green), vinegar, and tons of spices. It’s such a crazy mix, and yet it just works. It’s spicy, tangy, and bold – a vegetable chutney with total attitude.

There are many uses for piccalilli. Try it as a side with sausage or eggs. Use it as a compliment to cheeses and cured meats. Or try it as a sandwich condiment that goes way beyond your typical ketchup or mustard. Really any dish where meat or cheese is part of the mix is a perfect opportunity to break out the piccalilli.

Cumari do Para Guide: Heat, Flavor, Uses

by Matt Bray

What are Cumari do Para? The Brazilian Cumari do Para may be tiny – it sized more like a pea than a pepper – but boy this chili pepper can bite. It can run from medium-heat to extra-hot, with the potential for habanero-level heat (50,000 …