4 Peppers, 4 Preparations
-- Restaurants & Institutions, September 3, 2009
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Southwestern, Tex-Mex, and Mexican cooking traditions are rooted in peppers, from the small, piquant specimens to large, commonly used varieties. Here, a rundown of four common and less common peppers, with preparation examples:
The Pepper: Chile Pequin. Not for the faint of heart, these tiny peppers, picked when green or red, pack a wallop of heat. They can be used fresh, but work equally well dried where they can be crushed into salsas for extra, fiery flavor.
The Dish: Elk Tenderloin accompanied by a yellow tomato and chile pequin sauce, bacon-laced refried black beans, yellow pico de gallo and local microgreens –Bonnell’s Restaurant, Fort Worth, Texas
The Pepper: Poblano. A large, dark-green pepper used most famously in chiles rellenos, most poblanos are mild. But beware: there are always a few peppers in every harvest that fall on the spicy side of the spectrum
The Dish: Rajas Con Crema; Roasted, peeled poblanos cooked with cream and served with tortillas –Cabrito, New York City
The Pepper: Jalapeño. Perhaps the most well-known pepper of them all, medium-sized jalapeños are also one of the most versatile. They're found smoked (as in chipotle), preserved (as in jelly), and simply diced and served in various salsas, soups and stews.
The Dish: Lamb corazón; pancetta and jalapeño-wrapped lamb heart served with a honey glaze–Olivia,
Austin, Texas
The Pepper: New Mexico. Picked green in the summer and red in the fall, New Mexico-grown peppers are best known for their use in the state’s traditional green and red sauces. When served together, it’s called Christmas.
The Dish: Cremini, chorizo and Asadero cheese Tamale served with Chimayo red chile and Hatch green chile–Coyote Cafe Cantina, Santa Fe
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