Matt Bray – Page 87 – PepperScale

Spicy Almonds

Toasted with cayenne kick…

Sure roasted almonds alone are excellent to snack on as they are, but why not take ten minutes and turn those almonds into a fiery treat? Spicy almonds are perfect for parties, adding that extra spice twist that’ll make a memorable splash among friends and family.

Cayenne pepper provides the primary kick, with a little extra warmth from black pepper. It’s significant spice, so feel free to pull back on the cayenne used if you’re preparing for a group where spice tolerance is mixed. Halve the amount of cayenne (1/2 teaspoon) is best for those occasions.

The recipe calls for unsalted roasted almonds, but you can use salted roasted almonds instead – simply remove the extra salt from the ingredient list. We prefer less salt and more heat (and, if you’re reading PepperScale you may too), so opt for the unsalted roasted almonds if you can so that you can control the balance completely.

Homemade Green Chili Powder

by Matt Bray

Mean green…

It may surprise some, but green chili powder is real and just as tasty as any of the red chili powders commonly available. But the rub (no pun intended): Green chili powder is a whole heck of a lot harder to source. You can buy it online, but if you have extra green chilies sitting around, like Anaheim peppers or jalapeños, you can make it yourself with just a little time and a lot of sun (or a dehydrator).

You can use green chili powder just as you would red chili powders that are 100% chili pepper-based (cayenne powder, ancho powder, chipotle powder, etc…). The main difference is in the color (obviously) and flavor. The color is perfect for adding heat to salsa verde and other green sauces (as red powders can impact their color). Flavor-wise, green chili powders tend to not be as earthy and bold – think a more subtle flavor that’s impacted by the natural flavor profile of the pepper and not a smoking process (like chipotle powder).

Green chili powder works very well with meats that are more mild in flavor, like pork and chicken, and it’s also delicious sprinkled on fresh salads to provide a spice bump.

Spicy BBQ Shrimp

by Matt Bray

Grilled with a quick spicy rub…

When you’ve got your grill on, time is often of the essence. You’re likely cooking for friends and family, so the less time you have to spend seasoning and grilling, the more time you have to enjoy these special moments. Yet, you want your food to taste stellar – and in our case deliciously spicy – there’s no doubt. Enter the quick and dirty BBQ spice rub, perfect for making a batch of spicy BBQ shrimp in minutes.

The homemade spice rub in this recipe leans heavily on chili powder and cumin to provide an earthy simmer, but underneath it all is a smoky heat brought to life by smoked paprika. The rub takes only minutes to make and the shrimp grill up in mere minutes as well. In fact, what takes the most time is heating up the grill and soaking the skewers prior to use.

Cilantro Jalapeño Pesto

by Matt Bray

A spicy twist on the traditional pesto…

Cilantro jalapeño pesto takes the earthiness of traditional pesto and layers in a fresh fiery bite. It makes a perfect pasta sauce, sandwich spread, or spicy dip for the heat-inclined. Don’t overlook it, too, for use as an out-of-the-box taco sauce, especially for steak or chicken tacos. Beyond the jalapeño fire, the cilantro’s freshness and the hint of lime work very well with the flavors typical in Mexican cuisine.

You can turn up the heat even more by substituting in serrano peppers for the jalapeño. They provide a similar flavor profile (bright and grassy), only with a big uptick in heat. Serrano peppers can double the heat (and sometimes more) of jalapeño. You can also opt for additional jalapeño pepper to increase the spiciness, but careful with the pesto’s overall balance if you go this direction. Add additional minced jalapeño a teaspoon at a time and taste for balance often.

Spicy Watermelon Gazpacho

by Matt Bray

Sweet, spicy, and refreshing…

Now this is a soup that satisfies on a hot summer day. This spicy watermelon gazpacho has that refreshing watermelon flavor mixed with the sweetness of pineapple juice and honey, plus an exotic twist of fresh ginger. Then layered on top of it all is a bright jalapeño pepper heat that adds just the perfect level of tingle to the taste. It’s a thirst quencher – truly a satisfying summer soup. Pair it with a crisp white wine and a summer vegetable salad and you’re in eating heaven.

If you want to step up the spiciness, you can use serrano peppers instead of jalapeños. Start with only one serrano as the serrano’s spiciness typically more than doubles the heat of jalapeño while maintaining a very similar bright pepper flavor.

Spicy Thai Coconut Soup

by Matt Bray

Creamy, spicy, and full of flavor…

Spicy Thai coconut soup is our favorite Asian comfort food: rich, creamy, spicy, and fragrant. It’s one of those dishes that announces its presence with smells that taste good enough to eat! It’s hearty enough to stand on its own, but pour it over jasmine rice and you have a real meal at the ready in minutes.

The heat in this recipe is delivered by fresh red jalapeño, but you can opt for a few other directions. If you want more spiciness, try Thai peppers (it’s a significant upgrade, so be ready) or if you have sambal oelek at hand, you can use a few teaspoons of it in the soup to provide a comparable heat to jalapeño.

Time’s Up Reaper Hot Sauce (Tomato Blend) Review

by Matt Bray

Edge of your seat heat, sweet tangy tomato flavor…

Check your willingness to explore the edge of super-hot if you pick up a bottle of Pepper Palace’s tomato-based Time’s Up Reaper Hot Sauce. While not as hot as some inferno-level hot sauces, it punches and hard from the first taste. But unlike many of those extreme sauces that lean into the heat and away from taste, there’s a real flavor in Time’s Up – a garden-y tomato base with garlic and onion undertones, perfect for wings, eggs, and much more. That is, as long as you can take the heat.

Smoked Chili Powder

by Matt Bray

Go for the smoke…

Sure chili powder always has an earthy undertone, due to the inclusion of cumin, garlic, and onion powder in the mix. But that earthiness is taken to another level when you opt for smoky chilies and smoked paprika to use as the chili pepper base.

Ancho peppers and chipotle are both recommended dry chilies for this smoked chili powder recipes. You can use all ancho for a milder powder, all chipotle for a medium smoky heat, or a mix of the two for a level of spiciness somewhere in-between. Use this recipe anywhere you’d use regular chili powder, but we highly recommend it as a barbecue rub or finishing seasoning for steaks. Also try it mixed with mayonaisse to create a smoky aioli, perfect for fry dipping.

Pepper Palace Ghost Pepper Sauce: Smokin’ Versatility

by Matt Bray

Slow burn, smoky sweet…

When you pick up a bottle of Pepper Palace Ghost Pepper Sauce, expect a sauce that sticks around. Not on your shelf – we’re sure you’ll find as many uses for it as we did – but on the palate. That ghost pepper heat lingers, and with it a smoky sweet tang that’s as good on eggs as it is on steaks. Though, you may be surprised – the heat here is not as hot as you may expect for something labeled with the name of a super-hot chili.

Homemade Habanero Mustard

by Matt Bray

Habanero heat, wicked tang…

This is one big and bold mustard, that’s for sure. Habanero peppers as the base deliver an extra hot punch. Be sure you and your guests are ready for this step up in condiments (and label properly) as it’ll come as a heated surprise.