Matt Bray – Page 95 – PepperScale

Homemade Jamaican Jerk Sauce

Deliciously spiced and seriously spicy…

Jamaican jerk sauce is not for the timid, that’s for sure. No sauce that starts with a half dozen Scotch bonnet peppers is one to take lightly. But that’s of course why we love it so much. It’s spicy, but also deliciously spiced – with the likes of allspice, nutmeg, and cinnamon in the mix. It’s a delicious marinade for chicken, beef, and pork.

If you can’t get your hands on Scotch bonnets, choose habanero peppers instead. They’re a close cousin that brings the same heat, just not quite the tropical fruitiness.

Italian Long Hot Peppers: Fryer’s Delight

by Matt Bray

Mild and sweet…

Scoville heat units (SHU): 100 – 1,000
Jalapeño reference point: 3 to 80 times milder
Origin: Italy
Products: Italian long hot pepper on Amazon

When you travel in the Northeast of the United States, it’s hard not to stumble upon this long, gangly chili. Italian long hot peppers (a.k.a. long hot peppers, or simply Italian long hots) are now growing in popularity in many regions, but cities like Philadelphia and New York have a special bond. And there’s a lot to love. Italian long hots have only the slightest of sizzles to go along with a delicious sweet pepper flavor profile. They are a favorite fried or roasted as a side, and often placed on hoagies and other sandwiches to add zest to the meal.

Spicy Tomato Soup

by Matt Bray

Fire up your feel-good soup.

Tomato soup is that old brisk day stand-by. It’s that soup that warms you to your core on a chilly winter’s day – a traditional staple. But for culinary adventurers, tomato soup is like a blank canvas in the kitchen. So much can be done with it to liven it up in uniquely tasty ways. For instance, it’s very simple to convert your everyday tomato soup into something spicy and a little more rustic in flavor, simply with the additions of red pepper flakes and cumin. Get ready for some real warmth down to your core now…

Jalapeño Mashed Potatoes

by Matt Bray

Turn the temp up on your mashed…

There are so many ways to make mashed potatoes tasty, but – of course – one of our faves is simply layering in delicious jalapeño pepper. The jalapeño’s bright flavor and low-medium heat work very well with potato earthiness. And mixed in as a paste, the flavor is consistent with every bite.

Spicy Oatmeal Cookies

by Matt Bray

Turn ho-hum into hot, hot, hot!

We’ll be honest, standard oatmeal cookies aren’t our thing. They tend to be too plain, just ok as a cookie. And in our books, “just ok” for a cookie is a culinary crime!

So why not spice up that ho-hum oatmeal with exotic spices like earthy cumin, fiery ginger powder, and warming nutmeg – and add a punch of heat from spicy cayenne pepper powder to boot? Now this is an oatmeal cookie that has something to say. It’ll warm up even the chilliest night, and that standard glass of milk is the perfect pairing to curb that heat!

Jalapeño Cranberry Sauce

by Matt Bray

The turkey won’t know what hit it…

Yes, a jalapeño cranberry sauce is the perfect side for a spicy Thanksgiving meal, but it can be oh so much more than that. We love it on pork chops or as a tangy grilled chicken topper with a twist. If jalapeño heat isn’t quite enough, try using serrano peppers instead. They can double the spiciness while still maintaining that crisp bright taste that pairs perfectly with cranberry.

Espelette Pepper: Firing Up French Cuisine

by Matt Bray

Rich, subtle, rustic…spicy?

Scoville heat units (SHU): 500 – 4,000 SHU
Jalapeño reference point: Equal heat to 20 times milder
Origin: Basque region, France
Products and seeds: Espelette pepper on Amazon

French cuisine is a lot of things – rich, subtle, and rustic come fast to mind – but meals with any sort of heat is not high on the list. That is except for dishes starring the French native Espelette pepper. Also known as piment d’Espelette, this chili is a common spice of the Basque region of France, and while not a scorcher, it has a delicious subtle heat, slightly smoky and slightly citrusy. It’s so essential to the Basque region and its cuisine that it’s been given – like some wines and cheeses – protective AOC certification.

Spicy Sweet Potato Soup

by Matt Bray

Warms you up in all the right ways…

When you move from spiced sweet potato soup to spicy, you have a dish that’ll warm you up no matter how cold it gets outside. The heat here comes from chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, and with it comes more than a hint of smokiness that pairs perfectly with the sweetness of the soup. Garlic and ground cumin provide an earthiness that balances things out perfectly.

Sriracha Slaw

by Matt Bray

Coleslaw with Sriracha heat? Yes please.

It’s true. Sriracha works with near everything. At least in our book, it’s a go-to seasoning just like Old Bay or cayenne powder. This Sriracha slaw is a good example – an everyday side is turned just a little more special with a few tablespoons of Rooster Sauce. Try it with BBQ or as a sandwich side. It’ll warm you up just right.

Melrose Pepper Guide: Heat, Flavor, Uses

by Matt Bray

What are Melrose peppers? The Windy City may be the last place you think of when you think about spicy peppers. And even with the Melrose pepper, you’d still be right. Melrose peppers, with their curved, tapered bodies, may look like hotter chilies, but really they are zero-heat …