Matt Bray – Page 83 – PepperScale

Aji Dulce: Heat, Flavor, Uses

Habanero looks, yet very little fire…

Scoville heat units (SHU): 0 to 1,000
Jalapeño reference point: 3 to 8,000 times milder
Origin: Caribbean
Products and seeds: Aji dulce on Amazon

Do you love the fruity sweet flavor of habanero peppers, yet can do without the fire of the infamous extra-hot chili? Meet the aji dulce, also known as ajicito or aji cachucha. This habanero look-alike packs a sweet and smoky taste with very little (if any) perceptible heat. It’s perfect for mild salsas, sauces, and a must for Caribbean cooking, especially Cuban and Venezuelan cuisine.

Sriracha Marinade

by Matt Bray

Your meat will never be the same…

Get ready….Sriracha marinade, in all its sweet, tangy, and spicy glory, will transform your steaks into something memorable. The famous rooster sauce pairs up with lime, honey, and Dijon mustard (along with other bold ingredients) in this recipe. Use it as a grilling marinade, or try it as a spicy dipping sauce for chicken or steak satay or chicken tenders.

Spicy French Onion Soup

by Matt Bray

Onion sweet with a touch of fire…

French onion soup isn’t the quickest soup to make, but if you’re in the mood for a hearty, feel-good “soup-like-a-meal”, there are few that deliver better. We spice up this recipe with just a touch of cayenne pepper – it provides just enough simmer without disrupting the flavor balance. This is a memorable lunch just waiting to happen, especially with a side of sliced baguette. Just plan ahead…

Trinidad Perfume: Super Sweet Without Super Heat

by Matt Bray

Fruity and flavorful, perfect for mild tropical salsas…

Scoville heat units (SHU): 0 to 500
Jalapeño reference point: 5 to 8,000 times milder
Origin: Caribbean
Seeds: Trinidad Perfume on Amazon

When you hear the term ”Trinidad” in relation to chili peppers, a world of super-hots come to mind: the super-fiery Trinidad moruga scorpion or one of its Caribbean relatives like the extra-hot habanero or Scotch bonnet. But in the case of the Trinidad Perfume, while the pepper carries a similar “gonna burn you up” look, its heat is far from it – it’s more akin to a bell pepper in fieriness than a scorpion pepper. Yet the Trinidad Perfume still carries that delicious fruitiness those super-hots are known for, making this chili a perfect low-heat option for tropical salsas and hot sauces.

Maple Chipotle Sauce

by Matt Bray

Sweet sweet spice…

Whether as a barbecue sauce marinade or as an on-the-side dipper, maple chipotle sauce delivers a perfect mix of sweet and spice. Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce add the heat, along with a smoky and earthy flair that’s a perfect flavor foil to sweet maple syrup. It’s delicious on steaks or pork, and we love it just as much as a chicken finger dipper.

Spicy Curry Powder

by Matt Bray

Add fire to the exotic flavor…

Curry powder is already a deliciously exotic seasoning, full of fragrant (and flavorful) spices. There’s typically a warmth to most any curry powder recipe you use. This recipe, though, is here to turn up that heat just a little. A tablespoon of cayenne pepper is enough for most people looking for extra heat, but you could increase the spiciness even more by using a touch of hot paprika (instead of mild or generic), too. Use this not only for curries, but also in soups, salads, and dips.

Sweet And Spicy Chili

by Matt Bray

Here’s a sweet slow cooker recipe…

Or is it a spicy slow cooker recipe? That’s the beauty of sweet and spicy chili – you get a delicious helping of both. Sweet and spicy is a magical culinary pairing, and this chili delivers it through a healthy helping of chili peppers and brown sugar. It runs up and down the pepper scale, from red bells and smoky sweet piquillo peppers to fresh jalapeño and cayenne pepper powder. Piquillo chilies add only a light simmer of heat, but they provide a tasty smoky sweetness to assist that brown sugar in the recipe. We recommend using dark chili powder if you have it, too, as it adds a rich, slightly sweet undertone as well. If there’s none in your pantry, pick some up from our store.

Spicy Sweet Potato Fries

by Matt Bray

A side of sweet and spice…

It’s no secret – sweet potato fries are delicious simply plain. A little dash of salt along with that natural earthy sweetness is plenty good. But like many things sweet – they sure do pair well with fiery spices. Here we pair sweet potato fries with a little chili powder and cayenne pepper. That’s balanced with some brown sugar to level out the sweet just right. These are unforgettable fries, whether as a side for BBQ or a burger. The cayenne pepper powder is optional to the recipe, but it does provide a nice medium heat that chili powder alone won’t bring.

Chipotle Tomato Soup

by Matt Bray

Smokin’ hot tomato soup…

Just a little chipotle in adobo sauce can go a long way into fueling the fire of your traditional tomato soup. Chipotle pepper adds a delicious smoky heat, and a little extra adobo sauce provides a nice earthy undertone to the soup. For those only moderately into spicy foods, we recommend using only one chipotle, but for those with more adventurous taste buds, you could add a second for some bigger heat. Serve with crusty bread, and you have yourself a delicious and filling spicy lunch!

Ajvar Sauce

by Matt Bray

Spicy Serbian delight…

There’s quite a delightful mix of flavors in the ajvar sauce. This Serbian recipe is sweet, tangy, spicy, and smoky all wrapped into one. And don’t let the word “sauce” fool you – this is a multi-purpose relish that can serve as well as a dipper or topper as it does a traditional sauce. It’s as delicious as a pasta sauce as it is a sandwich spread or cracker dip.

The spiciness is brought to you by cayenne pepper, with a little help (and a lot of smokiness) from smoked paprika. Don’t forgo either as each does its part to make this recipe so delicious.