Classic Jalapeño Peppers – The workhorse of Tex-Mex cuisine!
For somebody coming at the question from my point of vue, this one’s a no-brainer. Been there, done that, tried ’em all (withing reason). But for someone new to Hot Peppers, the choice and differences in preparation can be bewildering.
Whys and wherefores…
As a ‘tutor’ I believe newbies should not only have a basic knowledge of new subjects of study. They should also know why they’re using a certain ingredient in a certain application in a certain way.
I could go on for days about the minutia of chili peppers. But my experience tells me, it’s useful to start with a good grounding in Chili Basics, and move on to specifics in manageable chunks as new types and applications arise.
Thus, the most basic of ‘starters’ today: A curated list of milder, culturally and cuisine-diverse ex-amples…
My First Chilis!
Okay kids (of all ages)… If you’re ready we’ll begin.
I want to present some very different chili pepper types and forms that will cover the range of com-mon types, heat levels and flavour variations. To give you an idea of just how diverse the Chili Universe is.
Staring at the bottom…
Sweet Bell
It may seem a little overly cautious to start with the inoccuous Sweet Bell Pepper. But I’ve always had good results introducing folks to the pepper clan with the one variety that is probably known best to the most folks.
The classic Sweet Bell Pepper is the sweetest, mildest and most versatile of all Peppers. Most of us have had it before: on burgers, raw, as a topping; or on a taco or burrito; grilled as a Fajita topping; as a component in Pico de Gallo or Salsa Fresca; So many way to enjoy it! And we’re all aware of the Bell’s diversity: Comes in a whole rainbow of colours including green, orange, yellow, red, purple and even black or brown (‘Chocolate’). (See photo, top of page.)
The Bell may be so mild you can barely detect its capsaicin content. You’ll soon discover via com-parative tasting, that the darker the colour, the richer, fruitier, and more floral the flavour is.
The Bell Pepper represents the closest you’ll ever come to a perfect marriage of flavour, heat, crun-chy pepper texture and over pepper satisfaction. Alas, the art and skill of pepper appreciation just gets more complex – and potentially more frustrating – from here…
Hot peppers are graded on a heat scale named for its inventor, American pharmacist Wilbur Scoville. in 1912. The Bell Pepper starts things off at an even ‘0’ Scoville Heat units.
Pimento
Yes, that’s the dark red chubby, smooth-skinned pepper with a definite hint of sweetness. But, at the same time, an unmistakable hint of heat. You’ll know the Pimento Pepper as the one they use strips of to stuff big olives and garnish salads. An innocuous, fun pepper – but with the unmistakable qualities and character of a proper pepper. It clocks in at a totally inoffensive 100-500 Scovilles.
Poblano
The mildest of the true ‘hot’ peppers, and the place where the true Latin American chili experience begins. When fresh, they’re green, zippy and definitely sweet. Hut they also offer a definite impres-sion of heat. A good general purpose mild pepper often found in salads, restaurant salsas and similar applications where the chef wants one version to appeal to all comers. !,000 to 1,500 Scovilles.
Jalapeño
The classic Mexican chili pepper. The one that separates the serious from the sissies. Perhaps the best known as the default genuinely hot chili that’s still acceptable to the widest variety of palates. It’s also plentiful, relatively cheap and consistent in flavour and heat level. It may show up as me-dium to deep green, or fully ripened in medium to dark red. Ranging, accordingly, from 2,500 to about 8,000 Scovilles.
Hunagrian Paprika
The classic pepper for drying and grinding into Hungarian Sweet Paprika. My favourite Paprika. And, if you’re going to have just one Paprika variant in your spice rack, the one you’ll want. It may come plain or roasted, the latter process developing a fuller, richer colour and flavour.
By contrast, Spanish Paprika is generally lighter and brighter in colour, and hotter, stronger/more piquant in flavour. Presenting a ‘respectable’ heat level of 5,000 to 10,000 Scovilles on swherher its Hungaian or Spanish, plain or roasted.
Serrano
The classic Italian red chili pepper. The dried, flaked stuff in the jar on every Italian restaurant table. We’ve all tried it, and we all have our own opinion of it. From 10,000 to 23,000 Scovilles, depending on whether it’s fresh or dried, and its degree of ripeness.
From there…
… It’s on to the medium-hot chilis. Serious, pungent chili flavours – but not actually likely to burn you!
My take
Get to know all these guys by sizes shape, colour and aroma. Take very small bites for your heat and flavour comparisons.
And enjoy your first cautious steps into Chililand!
~ Maggie J.