Matt Bray, Author at PepperScale

Chipotle Ranch Dressing

Ranch dressing all amped up…

For those that love the creamy tang of ranch dressing, get ready for a taste bud revolution. Chipotle ranch dressing takes what’s best with ranch and layers in heat and a hint of smoke. It turns an everyday salad into something bold.

This touch of Tex-Mex serves more than simply salad, too. As a veggie dipper, it’s delicious. We especially love the chipotle pepper smokiness paired with the sweetness of carrots. And if you’re having buffalo wings, try chipotle ranch instead of the regular plain Jane dressing for a little extra fire.

Chipotle Taco Seasoning

by Matt Bray

Ready for a smokier taco?

If you’re a fan of smoky flavor, prepping up a chipotle taco seasoning before taco night will make you very happy. This spice blend uses common spice rack ingredients and brings the smoke through both chipotle powder and smoked paprika. We kick in a little cayenne pepper to increase the overall heat just a touch.

Don’t limit this tasty seasoning to tacos. You can use it anywhere taco of Mexican seasoning is called for to add a little south-of-the-border flare to your meal. It’s delicious simply mixed with ranch dressing for a quick dip or use it as a dry rub on chicken, pork, or steak to add a smoky, earthy heat.

Spicy Hollandaise Sauce

by Matt Bray

A rich, lemony hollandaise with a cayenne kick, whisked over simmering water in about 15 minutes. Spoon it over Eggs Benedict, steamed asparagus or warm biscuits.

Peperone Di Senise: Basilicata’s Sweet Treasure

by Matt Bray

Delicious fresh or dried…

Scoville heat units (SHU): 0
Jalapeño reference point: 2,500 – 8,000 milder
Origin: Italy
Seeds: Peperone di Senise on Amazon

Few peppers define a regional cuisine as well as Peperone di Senise (a.k.a. the Senise pepper). With its delicious, sweet flavor and little to no heat, the Peperone di Senise is a staple of the rustic cuisine of the Basilicata region of Italy. While it’s used fresh (and simply perfect as a frying pepper), it’s the Senise pepper in dried form (known then as Peperone Crusco) that’s used the most often. Dried, it flavors meats, soups, and stews, along with a wide variety of rustic Italian meals.

Spicy Bechamel Sauce

by Matt Bray

A simple spicy white sauce…

Bechamel sauce just works when other sauces don’t. Don’t want a tomato tangy zing on pasta? Try bechamel. Want to add some homey heft to veggies like cauliflower and broccoli? Same. Yet that ‘tasty but safe’ white sauce can push the envelope still. Spice it up with cayenne pepper powder and your dish turns from simply good to more than memorable. It’s quick to make and fiery good.

Cajun Tomato Sauce

by Matt Bray

A hearty Cajun tomato sauce built on onion, celery and bell pepper, with Cajun seasoning, cayenne and a little lemon zest. Ready in about 30 minutes for pasta, dipping or spooning over rice.

Spicy Garam Masala

by Matt Bray

A homemade spicy garam masala made with toasted whole spices and your choice of dried red chili, from mild guajillo to fiery Tien Tsin. Stir it in at the end of cooking.

Aji Chombo: The Fiery Panamanian Pepper

by Matt Bray

Habanero-like heat and flavor…

Scoville heat units (SHU): 150,000 to 350,000
Jalapeño reference point: 18 to 140 times hotter
Origin: Panama
Products and seeds: Aji chombo on Amazon

While not easy to source in the U.S. or U.K., the aji chombo holds a lot of sway in its native Panama. With its extra-hot heat and fruity flavor, it compares well to its Caribbean cousins, the habanero and scotch bonnet peppers. If you’re looking to make an authentic Panamanian hot sauce with extra kick (or any fiery authentic Panamanian cuisine), the aji chombo is your chili of choice.

Spicy Honey

by Matt Bray

Fiery smooth and sweet…

If you’ve never experienced honey and chili peppers, you owe it to yourself to explore this surprisingly delicious flavor pairing. A little simmering of honey and your favorite spicy chili brings a fiery undertone to that honey smooth sweetness. Spicy honey is terrific in tea or drizzled over dessert.

You have lots of chili pepper options here, though mature chilies are the best option. They tend to be sweeter and spicier, less grassy and bright, then the youthful green chilies. Fresno peppers and red jalapeños are great options in the medium heat range, while habaneros or even the infamous ghost pepper can bring super-hotness to that honey. Take care when using the chilies from the upper-end of the scale. Use gloves when cutting and handling them to keep severe chili burn at bay.

Aji Dulce: Heat, Flavor, Uses

by Matt Bray

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.