Matt Bray, Author at PepperScale

Mango Ginger Habanero Sauce

Tropically-sweet with teeth…

Mango and habanero pepper are quite the pair. They are perfect foils in the kitchen, with just enough tropical sweetness in common to blend perfectly. There are so many twists on mango habanero sauces, but one of our favorites brings fresh ginger into the equation. The exotic warmth it brings to this sauce really ratchets up the flavor here.

For extreme eaters, this is a good all-purpose sauce. You can use it as a deliciously intense fish taco sauce or as an fiery dipping sauce for fried chicken fingers. It’s also a terrific alternative to salsa as a chip dip (if you like fruitier dips). If you want a variant that’s better with barbecue, see our mango habanero barbecue sauce that also has a twist of ginger.

Bod’e Pepper Guide: Heat, Flavor, Uses

by Matt Bray

What are bod’e peppers? Like many small chili peppers, the bod’e pepper’s size belies a surprisingly nuanced fruity flavor. Behind their cherry-like looks is a habanero-like fruitiness with a nice hint of smoke – all. And that’s all without that habanero-like heat. In fact, for …

Extra Spicy Southwest Seasoning

by Matt Bray

A quick mix for that Tex-Mex taste…

Need a quick spice rack mix to liven up your tacos, burritos, or fajitas? Let’s hit that spice rack. This extra spicy southwest seasoning takes only six exceptionally common spices and blends them into a simple, yet tasty Tex-Mex blend.

Don’t only look at Tex-Mex and Mexican cuisine, this southwest seasoning is also delicious as a quick and dirty chicken or steak rub to add a boost of flavor and heat. Cayenne pepper provides the pow in this recipe, and you can adjust to your heat tolerance – but note, a little goes a long way. Ramp up with care.

Spicy Sloppy Joes

by Matt Bray

Your favorite messy meal with plenty of spice…

Get your sloppy game on with this traditional favorite gone plenty spicy. This spicy sloppy joes recipe features both jalapeño pepper and Tabasco sauce to kick the norm up a few notches. It’s a great memorable meal for spicy food fans on game day or family night.

For something a little different, try the sloppy joe ground beef with pasta instead of hamburger buns. We like it paired with penne pasta.

Black Cuban Pepper Guide: Heat, Flavor, Uses

by Matt Bray

What are Black Cuban peppers? Color is a whole plant affair with the Black Cuban pepper. It’s not only the fruits that take on stunning dark hues, it’s the leaves and stems too. This dark detail makes for one stunning and dramatic ornamental pepper. And …

Spicy Avocado Salsa

by Matt Bray

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.