Pepper preparation: The do’s and don’ts of handling these hot little numbers

Fresh jalapeno gives this Mango Salsa a fiery kick.
Fresh jalapeno gives this Mango Salsa a fiery kick.

What does one do with a peck of peppers? (A peck, by the way, is a quarter of a bushel or 2 gallons).

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Food styling/KELLY BRANT

Quick Pickled Jalapenos

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Food styling/KELLY BRANT

Jalapeno-Pineapple Cooler combines fresh pineapple and jalapeno-infused simple syrup, liquor is optional.

Muddle, roast, pickle, jelly and stuff, to name a few of the ways we like to use them.

The following tips and recipes apply to any hot pepper, but because we had a plethora of jalapenos, that's what we used.

PEPPER TIPS

• Always wear gloves when handling chile peppers. Asthmatics and others with respiratory problems may also wish to wear a mask, especially when working with large quantities. (For reader tips on combating the burn of hot peppers, see Idea Alley on Page 8E.)

• Removing the seeds and membranes will temper the heat, but will not remove it entirely.

• There's no way to tell by looking how hot a pepper will be. Color is an indicator of maturity. All chiles typically start out green. As they mature and ripen they change color, often to red, but they can be orange, yellow, purple or brown.

• For subtle heat that permeates the whole dish in soups and stews, cut a slit down the side of a whole pepper; add to soup or stew and simmer. Remove pepper and discard before serving.

• Roasting is also a great way to save peppers for future use. This method works for sweet peppers, too. To roast: Heat broiler. Arrange the peppers in a single layer on a foil-lined, broiler-safe pan. Broil, turning occasionally, until pepper skins are uniformly charred. Pull corners of foil together to tent peppers and let stand until cool enough to handle. Wearing gloves, remove and discard skins, stems, seeds and membranes. Roasted peppers will keep, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. For longer storage, freeze them between layers of butcher or parchment paper in freezer bags.

Use them in any recipe that calls for canned diced green chiles, roasted peppers or when you'd like a little extra heat without the vinegary flavor of hot sauce. They make a particularly good substitute for the pimentos and hot sauce in homemade pimento cheese.

While it may be more common to eat peppers, there are some tasty ways to drink them, too.

Actress and Arkansas native Jennifer Pierce Mathus introduced us to this refreshing cocktail. The drink is light, but with a kick. Adjust the amount of jalapeno to suit your tolerance.

Mathus Marmont

(aka Jennifer's Hot Dog)

For each drink:

Sliced fresh jalapeno, to taste (see notes)

Ice

2 ounces vodka (Jennifer likes to use Tito's)

Fresh grapefruit juice (see notes)

Club soda

1 lime, juiced

Muddle the jalapeno in a highball or Collins glass. Add ice to fill. Add vodka, fresh grapefruit juice and a splash of club soda. Squeeze in the juice of one lime.

Makes 1 drink.

Notes: We found one to three slices to be sufficient, but not overpowering.

We subbed grapefruit soda for the juice and club soda in a pinch with good, but sweeter results. Fresh juice and club soda are preferred.

Infusing simple syrup with fresh jalapeno gives this drink a sweet heat. It is delicious with or without alcohol.

Jalapeno-Pineapple Cooler

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup water

1/2 to 1 jalapeno pepper, stemmed and seeded

1 fresh pineapple, peeled, cored and roughly chopped

3/4 cup tequila or rum, optional

Lime wedges, for rimming glasses

Coarse sugar, for rimming glasses

In a small saucepan, combine the 1/2 cup granulated sugar and water; bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Remove from heat, add pepper and set aside for 15 to 30 minutes. Remove and discard jalapeno; set the syrup aside to cool completely.

In a blender, combine the cooled syrup, the pineapple chunks and liquor, if using. Blend until completely smooth. Transfer to a pitcher and refrigerate until well chilled. Just before serving, give the mixture a good stir. Moisten the rims of 4 to 6 glasses with lime wedges, then dip in coarse sugar; fill with ice. Pour in pineapple mixture.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Recipe adapted from Marcela Valladolid via Food Network

Roasted Jalapeno Salsa

2 to 3 jalapenos, roasted (see tips)

1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, leaves and stems

1/4 small red or white onion, roughly chopped

3 green onions, ends trimmed and roughly chopped

1 lime, juiced

Salt and ground black pepper

In a food processor, combine the peppers, cilantro, onions and lime juice. Process to desired texture. Season to taste with salt, pepper and additional lime juice. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour before serving.

Makes about 1 cup.

Roasted jalapeno gives this pesto a smoky heat.

Basil-Jalapeno Pesto

4 cups fresh basil, loosely packed

1/4 cup toasted pine nuts (or pecans or walnuts)

1 roasted jalapeno pepper

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 small clove garlic, minced

1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

Salt and ground black pepper

Place basil in a bowl of cool water and let soak 15 to 30 minutes. Drain basil but do not dry. Gently pinch leaves from stems. Discard stems.

Put the nuts, jalapeno, olive oil and garlic in a blender or food processor. Pulse to make a coarse paste. Add basil leaves, 1 cup at a time, shaking off some, but not all of the water (a little water helps the ingredients emulsify). Pulse a few times after each addition. When all the basil has been pureed, add the cheese and pulse to blend. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve immediately or transfer to a bowl and top with a thin layer of olive oil, then cover with plastic wrap, pressing the plastic directly on the surface of the pesto to prevent browning.

Makes about 1 cup.

Roasted Chile Butter

1 roasted chile pepper, finely minced (see tips)

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tablespoon freshly grated parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon lemon juice

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Use immediately as a spread, or shape into a log and refrigerate until firm.

Makes a generous 1/2 cup.

Quick Pickled Jalapenos

About 10 jalapeno peppers

3/4 cup distilled vinegar

3/4 cup water

1 to 3 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1 clove garlic, crushed

Slice the peppers and place in a clean jar (or jars) with a tight-fitting lid.

In a small saucepan, combine the vinegar, water, sugar, salt and garlic. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar and salt.

Pour brine over the peppers in the jar. Cool to room temperature.

Cover tightly and refrigerate.

Makes about 2 cups.

Jalapeno Cheesy Bread

1 (1-pound) rustic loaf French of Italian bread, unsliced (see note)

10 to 12 ounces shredded Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese

1/4 cup finely chopped pickled OR roasted jalapenos

1/4 cup diced green onions, plus more for garnish

1/4 cup butter, melted

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment or nonstick foil.

Slice the bread to, but not through the bottom crust, in a cross-hatch pattern, spacing an inch between cuts.

In a large bowl, combine the cheese, jalapenos and green onions; pour over melted butter. Mix well.

Place the bread on the prepared baking sheet. Stuff each cut with cheese mixture. Tent loosely with foil.

Bake for 15 minutes. Remove foil and bake 5 to 10 minutes more, or until the cheese is bubbly melted and bread is golden. Sprinkle with additional green onion, if desired.

Note: We made this using a round Tuscan loaf, but an oblong loaf will work too.

Recipe adapted from simplyrecipes.com

Small Batch Pepper Jelly

1/2 cup coarsely chopped jalapeno peppers

1/2 cup coarsely chopped bell pepper (we used yellow and orange)

3 cups granulated sugar

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar (see note)

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 (3-ounce) package liquid pectin

Process peppers in a food processor for 1 minute or until almost smooth, stopping to scrape down sides.

Transfer pureed peppers to a 4-quart nonreactive saucepan. Add sugar and vinegar to pan and bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Boil 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in lime juice and pectin, and return to a rolling boil. Boil 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, and let foam settle for a minute or two. Skim off and discard any foam.

Ladle into clean canning jars. Let cool 1 hour. Cover and chill. Store in refrigerator up to 3 weeks.

Makes 3 (1/2-pint) jars.

Note: Can use other vinegar as long as it is 5 percent acidity.

Recipe adapted from Serious Eats

Mango Salsa

1 ripe, but firm mango, peeled and diced

1 jalapeno or other hot chile, seeded and minced

2 tablespoons minced red onion (fresh or pickled)

2 tablespoons minced red bell pepper

1 lime, halved

Fresh cilantro, to taste optional

Combine the mango, jalapeno, red onion and bell pepper and mix well. Squeeze in lime juice. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled. If desired, stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro just before serving.

Makes about 2 cups.

These stuffed peppers get extra flavor (and protein) from browned sausage or ground beef.

Meaty Stuffed Jalapenos

1 pound ground pork sausage OR ground beef

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1 cup shredded mozzarella or Monterey Jack cheese

Salt and ground black pepper

About 20 average-size jalapenos, halved lengthwise, seeds and membranes removed

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with foil or parchment paper.

In a large skillet, cook sausage or beef until browned, breaking the meat into small crumbles as it cooks. Drain well.

In a mixing bowl, combine the cooked and drained meat, the cream cheese and the shredded cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper and mix well.

Fill each pepper half with meat mixture. Arrange in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.

Bake 10 to 15 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and peppers are tender.

Food on 08/03/2016

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