How do you like your eggs?

By Lorraine Pascale   –   Todmorden News

Simplicity is key for Lorraine Pascale. “It’s the way I live and the way I eat,” explains the chef, discussing the essence behind her latest book, Eating Well Made Easy. “There’s no faff – just chop it up and throw it in.”

It’s this understated approach to delivering uncomplicated, nutritious food that has seen the model-turned-TV-cook take the culinary world by storm; and when I turn up to play sous chef at her home in south-west London, the proof is in the pudding – or savory in this case.

HUEVOS RANCHEROS WITH JALAPENOS AND GARLIC (Serves 2)

 Ingredients

2 soft corn tortillas

2 tbsp olive oil

4 ripe tomatoes cut into cubes

3 spring onions, finely chopped

2 green jalapeno chilies or 1/2 regular green or red chili, de-seeded for less heat if preferred, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

Good pinch of ground cumin

Leaves from 1/2 bunch of fresh coriander, roughly chopped

4 free-range eggs

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

Preheat the oven to 200 C/fan 180 C/gas mark 6.

Wrap the tortillas in a piece of tin foil, sit on a baking sheet and put them in the oven for about 10 minutes or until they are heated through.

Meanwhile, heat one tablespoon of oil in a large non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add the tomato, spring onion, chilli, garlic, cumin and a little salt and pepper, and cook them for about five minutes, or until the tomato begins to break down.

Stir in half of the coriander, remove from the heat and keep warm.

Rinse out and dry the pan and put it back on a low-medium heat. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil and once nice and hot, crack in the eggs, spaced apart. Cook them gently for about three to four minutes, until the whites are cooked but the yolks still a little bit runny. Remove the pan from the heat.

Remove the tortillas from the oven and place one on each serving plate. Divide the salsa mix between them, spreading it out with the back of the spoon. Slide two eggs on top of each one, sprinkle with the remaining coriander and serve.

 

Spur-of-the-moment appetizers

By Olivia Sipe   –   The Daily Times

Appetizers are such a great way to make guests feel welcomed and special, but can take as much time to prepare as a main dish. Not so with today’s recipes. If the cream cheese is at room temperature, you can have at least two offerings done in a few minutes.

Fresh, store bought salsa is usually quite tasty, but do check the sell-by date. It does not have a long shelf life.

I enjoyed seedless strawberry jam with the bacon, cream cheese dip. Have extra jam and bacon ready to replenish.

The cream cheese dishes are good along side the stuffed jalapenos to help tame the heat.

I hope some of these dishes are on your Thanksgiving day table and I wish you a wonderful Thanksgiving day with your friends and family.

Cream Cheese and Jalapeno Jam

1 (8 ounce) block cream cheese at room temperature

1/2 cup jalapeno jam or preserves of your choice

1/2 cup home made bacon bits

Place cream cheese on a large serving dish. Warm jalapeno jam or preserves in the microwave. Pour jam over cream cheese. Sprinkle with bacon bits. Serve with wheat thins.

Cream Cheese and Salsa

1 (8 ounce) block of cream cheese, at room temperature

1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1 1/2 cups salsa (with jalapenos of course)

Tortilla chips

Spread cream cheese in a microwave-safe pie plate. Top with cheese. Microwave until cheese is melted. Top with salsa. Serve with tortilla chips.

Stuffed Jalapenos

1 large can pickled, sliced jalapeno peppers, well drained and seeds removed.

1 small can tuna, packed in water

1 tablespoon each, red, yellow and green bell peppers, finely diced

1 tablespoon red onion, finely diced

2 teaspoons mayonnaise, or to taste

Stir together and spoon into jalapeno peppers. Arrange on a platter. Cover and chill until serving time. Offer crackers along side. Cook’s note: advise guests these are very hot and delicious.

Artichoke Dip

1 (14 ounce) can artichoke hearts, well drained and chopped

1 (4 ounce) can diced green chilies or jalapenos

3/4 cup mayonnaise

1 cup shredded cheese blend of your choice.

In a medium size serving bowl, stir together the ingredients. Microwave until melted. Stir until creamy. Serve warm.

New York’s hottest pickle joint showed us how to make fried pickles

Story by Sarah Schmalbruch and editing by Adam Banicki   –   Business Insider

In honor of National Pickle Day, we asked the experts at New York City’s famous pickle place, Jacob’s Pickles, how to make their delectable fried pickles at home.

While Jacob’s Pickles serves up unique takes on classic Southern comfort food, they are renowned for their fried pickles, which they serve with a spicy red mayonnaise for dipping.

Making fried pickles is pretty simple. First, make the batter: Jacob’s is made of flour, seltzer, and a spice blend.

Mix those ingredients together, and then dip the pickles into the batter. Then, place them into a pan of hot oil, and cook for four to six minutes. Let cool and enjoy!

Watch the video to see how the pros do it.

 

 

Cornbread Stuffing with Jalapeno and Andouille

recipe by Mario Batali

This New Orleans inspired stuffing will add some zing to your Thanksgiving table!

Ingredients:

CORNBREAD STUFFING WITH JALAPENO AND ANDOUILLE

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 1/2 pounds Andouille sausage (1/2-inch dice)
  • 1 yellow onion (1/2-inch dice)
  • 3 stalks celery (1/2-inch dice)
  • 1 green bell pepper (1/2-inch dice)
  • 1 red bell pepper (1/2-inch dice)
  • 1-2 jalapenos (seeds removed, chopped, plus more to garnish)
  • 2 tablespoons sage (chopped)
  • 8 cups cornbread (store-bought, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes and toasted)
  • 2 1/2 cups chicken stock (warmed)
  • 1/2 cup butter (melted, plus more to grease baking dish)
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
step-by-step directions
  • Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease a 9″x13″ baking dish with butter.
  • In a large sauté pan, add 2 tablespoons oil and place over medium-high heat. Add the sausage, onion, celery, peppers and jalapenos. Season with salt and pepper. Sauté until vegetables are translucent and slightly caramelized, about 8 minutes. Add the sage and sauté for 1 more minute.
  • In a large bowl, add the toasted, cubed cornbread and pour the Andouille mixture over top. Pour the stock and butter over the top and toss to combine.
  • Transfer mixture to prepared baking dish. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake until top is golden and crisp, about 10-15 more minutes. Garnish with more sliced jalapenos if desired.
  • Tip: serve with Mario’s New Orleans Red Beans & Rice Stuffed Turkey with Sazerac Gravy 

Recipe for spinach enchiladas with jalapeno cream sauce

By Katherine Hysmith   –   The Boston Globe

Serves 4

A greener, but heartier take on traditional enchiladas, these are made with soft flour tortillas and topped with a rich and slightly spicy jalapeno cream sauce. Cool Greek yogurt and cream help temper the jalapenos, but if you prefer something even spicier, leave in the peppers’ heat-packed seeds.

Olive oil (for the dish)
3 jalapenos
cup heavy cream
½ cup plain Greek-style yogurt
½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons water
Salt and black pepper, to taste
1 small onion, finely diced
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
10 ounces (about 10 cups) fresh baby spinach, coarsely chopped
cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
8 flour tortillas (6 inches)

1. Turn the broiler to high. Oil a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.

2. On a small rimmed baking sheet, broil the jalapenos as close to the element as possible, turning every half minute, for 3 minutes, or until the skins are blistered and blackened in spots. Remove from the oven and cool. Turn the oven to 375 degrees.

3. Gently pull off and discard the jalapeno skins. Stem them, slit them open, and scrape out the seeds and ribs. Coarsely chop 2 of the jalapenos and finely chop the remaining one.

4. In a food processor, combine the coarsely chopped jalapenos, cream, yogurt, ¼ cup of the cilantro, cumin, 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, water, salt, and black pepper. Pulse until the mixture forms a smooth, creamy sauce.

5. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the onion, garlic, and finely chopped jalapeno. Cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes. Add the spinach and gently stir until the leaves begin to wilt. Turn off the heat and leave to cool for about 5 minutes. Stir in 1 cup of the Monterey Jack cheese.

6. Place a tortilla on the counter. Add a spoonful of the spinach mixture in a thick band down the middle of the tortilla. Roll up and set, seams down, in the baking dish. Repeat with remaining tortillas and filling. The enchiladas should fit snugly in the dish. Pour the jalapeno sauce over the enchiladas and sprinkle with remaining ¼ cup of Monterey Jack cheese.

7. Bake the enchiladas for 25 to 30 minutes or until the sauce begins to brown on top. Sprinkle with remaining ¼ cup cilantro.

Bite Of Minnesota: Canning Jalapenos

By Crystal Grobe   –   CBS Minnesota

It really is fall, isn’t it? Time to accept the change of seasons, especially after attending the last outdoor markets at both Kingfield and Mill City recently. The final sign? Daylight Saving Time. At least we still have a few warm weather days ahead, so soak up all the sunshine you can!

Right now I’m working on preserving, canning, and jelly projects in the kitchen. I missed the tomato wave but I’m not too late for the pepper wave. We have quite a few jalapenos from our home garden and I was gifted a few from my brother, so I decided to turn them into candied jalapenos. I have made these in the past and trust me, they are spicy! Remove the seeds and membrane for a milder version and don’t forget to use gloves!

(credit: Crystal Grobe)

These candied jalapenos are best paired with goat cheese, cream cheese, or another “cooling” spread, perfect for a party appetizer. I’ve used it as a garnish on nachos, in quesadillas, and even used the syrup in a (very spicy) cocktail.

Candied Jalapeños. Ah. There’s a story here. Once upon a time, my friend Katie casually mentioned eating a sandwich made with Candied Jalapeños. She was singing the praises of what she described as an addictive jar of goodies. Then she said the magic words, “I wish I could figure out how to make these at home.” By this point, you know me enough to know what affect that statement has on me, right?  I quizzed her on the texture, flavor, and appearance of the jalapeno rings. I begged for photographs. I had her send me a picture of the ingredient list on the label. I asked her to describe the flavor to the very best of her food blogging abilities. She was game. She provided all the information.

After carefully examining close to thirty recipes on Candied Jalapeños, also known as cowboy candy (who KNEW there were so many people candying jalapenos?) I called my local Cooperative Extension office to pick the brain of their home food preservation specialists. Since jalapeños are a low-acid food, some precautions need to be taken when canning them. You have two choices for safely canning peppers of any kind; you can pressure can them or you can acidify (i.e. add vinegar, lemon juice, etc…) the liquid in which you pack the peck of pickled peppers.

I opted for acidifying the pepper liquid because I wanted to maintain some of the texture of the peppers through the process because pressure canning Candied Jalapeños would turn them to flavorful mush.  The result was gobsmackingly, head-spinningly, brain-addlingly delicious.  Sweet, spicy and savory, Candied Jalapeño rings are way too easy to eat on just about everything.  I’ve stashed them in sandwiches, chopped them up on baked beans, tucked them into tacos, used the syrup to brush meat on the grill, perched a couple rings on top of a cream cheese laden cracker and all sorts of other evil things.

For such a simple thing to can, these pack tons of flavor.  You’re going to want to make as many of these as you possibly can simultaneously, because once that first jar is cracked open you’re not going to be able to stop eating them.  And I mean it. I am not kidding with you when I say that I barter with jars of these for valuable goods. Candied Jalapeños have fed my fine pottery addiction because my favorite local potter is as Candied Jalapeño fixated as I am with her pottery.

COOK’S NOTES:

  • Hate canning? Afraid of canning? For those of you who may be freaking out slightly or massively over the idea of canning, rest easy. You can follow all of the instructions up to the actually canning portion, then stash the jars in the refrigerator for up to three months. You get a year out of canning, but if an alternative is all that stands between you and making them, use your chill chest!
  • Wear gloves when working with the peppers. Not a wimp? Neither am I… but jalapeños have a notoriously wide range of heat on the Scoville scale.
  • Let’s address slicing the peppers, because we’re going to be going through 3 pounds, folks. The quickest, easiest way to do so is with a slicing blade on a food processor, standing the peppers on their ends in the feed chute. No food processor? Use a mandolin! No mandolin? Just take your time and slice by hand with a very sharp knife and gloved hands.
  • I’ve been asked many times whether you should discard the seeds. I don’t because we like them. Contrary to the old wives’ tales, seeds do not contain the heat of a pepper. The membrane inside the pepper packs the most punch. Since you’re not removing that, don’t sweat the seeds. Heh. Pepper humour.
  • Quite a few folks have asked WHEN exactly to start timing the boiling of the peppers. You begin timing them once the liquid has returned to a full rolling boil. As soon as it reaches a full rolling boil, reduce the heat to a simmer and let it simmer gently (gentle bubbles that blub up) for 4 minutes. To clarify further, you will not be boiling them HARD for 4 minutes, you will bring them to a boil then drop the heat and simmer.
  • Many, many people have asked me whether they messed up the recipe because their peppers look all shriveled after simmering them in the syrup, packing them in jars, and canning them. The short answer is no. The long answer is that you’re fine and they WILL look shriveled when you jar them up if you’ve simmered them properly. They will re-plump as they spend those 4 weeks of rest time in the jar between processing and opening.
  • Yes, I said 4 weeks. My husband has been known to crack a jar at the two week mark out of desperation for candied jalapenos, but he will absolutely agree with me that they improve immensely in flavour and texture when left to mellow for at least 4 weeks after processing. Try to be patient. You’ll be rewarded.
  • How to serve them? On cream cheese and crackers, obviously… On sandwiches, on salads, chopped up in dips, on taco soup, on tortilla soup, on tacos, on pizza… The sky is the limit. I kind of suspect my husband would eat them on breakfast cereal if he didn’t know I’d wonder about his sanity.
CANDIED JALAPENOS
Author: Rebecca Lindamood
Recipe type: Canning, Condiment, Ingredient
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 32
There aren’t words that exist to describe how addictive these little savoury, sweet, spicy, crunchy, garlicky pickled jalapeno rounds are. Put them on sandwiches, tacos, rice or bake them into cornbread. You’ll need more and more!
INGREDIENTS
  • 3 pounds fresh, firm, jalapeno peppers, washed
  • 2 cups cider vinegar
  • 6 cups white granulated sugar
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric
  • ½ teaspoon celery seed
  • 3 teaspoons granulated garlic
  • 1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
  1. Wearing gloves, remove the stems from all of the jalapeno peppers. The easiest way to do this is to slice a small disc off of the stem-end along with the stem. Discard the stems.
  2. Slice the peppers into uniform ⅛-1/4 inch rounds. Set aside.
  3. In a large pot, bring cider vinegar, white sugar, turmeric, celery seed, granulated garlic and cayenne pepper to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the pepper slices and simmer for exactly 4 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the peppers, loading into clean, sterile canning jars to within ¼ inch of the upper rim of the jar. Turn heat up under the pot with the syrup and bring to a full rolling boil. Boil hard for 6 minutes.
  4. Use a ladle to pour the boiling syrup into the jars over the jalapeno slices. Insert a cooking chopstick to the bottom of the jar two or three times to release any trapped pockets of air. Adjust the level of the syrup if necessary. Wipe the rims of the jars with a clean, damp paper towel and fix on new, two-piece lids to finger-tip tightness.
  5. *If you have leftover syrup, and it is likely that you will, you may can it in half-pint or pint jars, too. It’s wonderful brushed on meat on the grill or added to potato salad or, or, or… In short, don’t toss it out!
  6. Place jars in a canner, cover with water by 2-inches. Bring the water to a full rolling boil. When it reaches a full rolling boil, set the timer for 10 minutes for half-pints or 15 minutes for pints. When timer goes off, use canning tongs to transfer the jars to a cooling rack. Leave them to cool, undisturbed, for 24 hours. When fully cooled, wipe them with a clean, damp washcloth then label.
  7. Allow to mellow for at least two weeks, but preferably a month before eating. Or don’t. I won’t tell!
NOTES
I know this sounds crazy, but double this recipe. People will beg you for jars of this and get surly if you say no. Just. Trust. Me.

 

A WORD ON FOOD: Banh Mi

By Erica Bonelli   –   The Diamondback

Banh Mi [bahn mee]: A Vietnamese sandwich in which various meats, pickled vegetables, spicy peppers and a spicy sauce are layered inside a crispy, fresh baguette.

Origin: Vietnamese

Banh mi is the bastard child of French and Viet cuisine; an intriguing combination that came about when the French colonized Vietnam. The French brought the bread, the Vietnamese brought the fillings, and the rest is history.

According to banh mi expert Andrea Nguyen, who authored the bestselling “Banh Mi Handbook,” there are eight main components to a banh mi sandwich:

1. Bread

Banh mi bread is typically soft on the inside but flaky on the outside, made of both wheat and rice flour. When making the sandwich, the bread is warmed up first.

2. Mayonnaise

Banh mi typically come smeared with a flavorful sriracha or herb mayo to add a new dimension of heat and flavor in every bite.

3. Maggi seasoning

Maggi seasoning is the secret ingredient that distinguishes the salty flavor of a banh mi. Maggi seasoning is similar to soy sauce but does not contain any soy.

4. Meat

In banh mi sandwiches, the vegetables are the star, but a small portion of seasoned meats such as pork, chicken or tofu are often added for variation.

5. Pickles

Pickles are considered the critical element of a banh mi. Vietnamese pickles are sweeter than American pickles and add a tang and a crunch to the sandwich. The most popular combination is pickled carrot and daikon (also called do chua).

6. Fresh Chilies

The addition of fresh chilies such as jalapeños adds a little heat in every bite of the sandwich, balancing out the tartness from the pickles and cool crunch of the cucumber.

7. Cucumber

The cucumber cools down your palette from the vibrant and spicy flavors of the chilies, sriracha mayo, and pickles. It also adds a fresh crunch that pairs perfectly with the coolness of the cilantro.

8. Herbs

Cilantro is almost always added to the top of a banh mi sandwich for a fresh cooling element that complements the cucumber. But don’t fret: If you’re one of about 10 percent of the population who thinks cilantro tastes like soap and bugs, you can substitute fresh mint or basil or skip the herbs.

Want to give it a try? Here’s a recipe for a classic banh mi sandwich, courtesy of Food Network. The recipe includes directions for pickling your own vegetables, but you can always buy them already pickled at most grocery stores.

Ingredients

For the slaw:

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup distilled white vinegar

1/2 cup julienned carrot

1/2 cup julienned daikon radish

Kosher salt

For the seasoned pork:

1 teaspoon vegetable oil

1 tablespoon finely chopped onion

6 ounces ground pork

1 tablespoon roast pork seasoning mix, available in Asian markets

Pinch garlic powder

Pinch ground black pepper

For the sandwiches:

4 (10-inch) baguettes

Mayonnaise, as needed

8 thin slices Vietnamese-style pork roll (cha lua), or bologna

8 slices Vietnamese-style salami, or ham or turkey

4 teaspoons soy sauce

1/2 cup fresh cilantro sprigs

1/4 medium English cucumber, cut lengthwise into 4 slices

Freshly ground black pepper

Asian-style chili oil, to taste, optional

Directions

For the slaw:

In a small saucepan, combine the water, sugar and vinegar and bring to a boil. Transfer the vinegar mixture to a bowl and cool. Add the carrot and daikon, mix well and season with salt. Set aside to marinate for 30 minutes or store in the refrigerator up to overnight.

For the seasoned pork:

Heat the oil in small nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until soft. Add the pork, seasoning, garlic and pepper, and cook, stirring, until just cooked through, about two to three minutes. Remove the heat and set aside covered with foil to keep warm.

For the sandwiches:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Slice the baguettes open lengthwise, and slather the insides with mayonnaise. Arrange the baguettes on a baking sheet and bake until hot and crusty, about five minutes. Remove the baguettes from the oven and immediately fill each with some of the seasoned pork. In each sandwich, arrange 2 slices each of the pork roll and salami, 1 teaspoon soy sauce, 1/2 tablespoon cilantro, 1 slice cucumber, ground pepper, and chili oil, if using. Serve immediately with the slaw on the side.

Wondering where you can find this toasty treat? Washington, D.C., has dozens of restaurants and food trucks that serve up a perfect banh mi, including Simply Banh Mi in Georgetown, which takes a twist on the classic sandwich by adding a fried egg on top, BONMi, and Pho 14, which has three locations around Washington. For banh mi on the go, try PhoWheels, which tops its banh mi with a truffle aioli.

Southern cornbread with charred jalapeno butter

Courtesy Devan Rajkumar   –   Cityline
@chefdevan

In the mood for some comfort food? This southern-style cornbread will add some heat to your next meal!

Southern cornbread with charred jalapeno butter

Serves 3-6

Ingredients:

Cornbread
1 1/2 cup fine corn meal
1 1/2 cup 3.25% milk
1 egg
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/3 tsp salt
1/3 tsp Old Bay seasoning
1 tsp Maldon sea salt
1 tbsp chives, finely sliced
5 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
3” x 4” cast iron skillets
Non-stick baking spray

Butter
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
2 jalapenos
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp honey
1 tsp lemon zest
2 tsp vegetable oil

Method:

Pre-heat oven to 500 F. Place cast iron skillets on a baking tray and put in oven to pre-heat for at least 15 minutes prior to using.

Rub jalapenos with vegetable oil and char over an open flame or in a hot pan until charred all over.

Remove to a small bowl and cover with plastic wrap to steam.

After approximately 10 minutes, remove plastic wrap, peel skin and discard. De-stem and de-seed the jalapenos and brunoise.

Combine all ingredients for butter and cornbread in separate bowls (except the Maldon sea salt and chives).

Carefully remove tray with cast iron skillets from the oven and generously coat with non-stick spray.

Fill each tray to the top with cornbread mix and top each with a sprinkle of Maldon sea salt and chives.

Place in the oven for 8 1/2 minutes.

Remove and allow cornbread to cool for approximately one minute before serving. You may serve with butter on top or on the side.

The ghost pepper: Eat with caution

I confess that I am afraid of ghosts … ghost peppers that is. Known as one of the hottest peppers you can eat, just the thought of the lip-searing, eye-watering, sweat-inducing fruit leaves this Scandinavian quaking. Jalapenos are sometimes too hot for me to handle.

And speaking of handling them, that is one of my bigger fears. Too many times, I have burned my eyes or other sensitive skin by touching, hours after handling peppers and even after washing thoroughly. I once spent an agonizing night with fiery red hands after making some serrano pepper jelly. I scrubbed my hands with milk and used pure aloe leaf, to little relief and my hands were swollen and red for days.

So why am I growing the ghastly ghost, also known as the bhut jolokia? Just for the experience I guess. I grew one plant last year, purchased at Meinke’s, my favorite little garden center in Niles. It was shaded by the rather thuggish Swiss chard and did poorly, remaining under a foot tall and producing two fruits. And the fruits weren’t much hotter than a serrano, according to my Teflon mouthed husband.

But the wrinkly little fruits, with their odd, sparse prickles intrigued me, turning from green to chartreuse, then pumpkin orange and finally, red. So I saved the seeds and tried again. This spring, with all the rain, felt like failure waiting again, but I was not thinking, not considering the place the plant grows best, in the monsoon region of India.

My single plant is easily three feet tall and four feet wide, inhabiting considerable real estate in my community garden plot. Things grow well there, with untreated well water and rain water from the cistern, and I amend the soil in my plot with plenty of compost. At last count it had 32 dangling, wrinkly green fruits, and two that had turned orange. And they are considerably hotter this year, too hot to eat … scary hot.

This, of course, has me wondering what I can get from it next year. I once dug up a pepper plant in the fall, kept it over winter and replanted it in the spring. The mature plant bore early and bore heavily, the blocky peppers all turning red by late summer. What if I could get this thing up to tree size?

Stand the heat, and get in the kitchen

Meanwhile, I needed to figure out what to do with the ripening ghost peppers. I cut one open, without touching the inside and touched the knife to my tongue. It took a couple of seconds before the sear came, but it did. Even milk did not help for a while, and I later made my ear burn by scratching it with the finger that I used to hold the stem while I cut the pepper.

Now I needed my husband’s opinion. He likes things hot and uses hot sauce on everything. He sucked the edge of the cut pepper, paused and said, “That’s really hot; I couldn’t, like, chew it.”

That was all I needed to hear to determine that I would use only one fourth of the pepper in my Roasted Pineapple Habanero Sauce recipe. And it is enough; trust me. The heat in my sauce builds slowly, but continues to build to a nice, really hot, but not ridiculous, finish.

I decided to save a few to make hot pepper spray for non edible plants that get eaten by critters, so I chopped a few of those up and threw them, seeds and all, into a jar of ordinary vegetable oil and placed it in the garage, with a large easy to read label.

Then, I used three of them, deseeded and without the membranes, to make a hot pepper oil for cooking. I simmered the peppers in a cup of grapeseed oil, let them steep until cooled and strained through cheesecloth. This was also labeled and will keep refrigerated for about a year.

The pineapple sauce was something inspired by the way in which these peppers are rated – one of the hottest peppers in the world. Now, that being said, much depends upon soil, weather and stage of ripeness, and last year, a friend grew some ghost peppers that were barely hot at all. So my advice is taste before you waste. Had I put a whole pepper in my sauce, it would have been thrown out.

Just take this seriously and use care. Wear gloves, have milk handy and scrub everything the peppers touch. Remember that this is the same stuff used to make tear gas.

Roasted Pineapple Habanero Jam

½ large sweet onion, cut into quarters

1 small fresh pineapple, peeled and sliced *

1 red bell pepper

¼ to 1 whole habanero or ghost pepper, deseeded and membrane removed (wear gloves)

2 cups sugar

1/3 cup cider vinegar

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon corn starch

* You may substitute a can of pineapple chunks in heavy syrup (not in juice), drained.

Roast the onions, pineapple and peppers on a heavy, rimmed cookie sheet, in a 400-degree oven, or on your grill. When the vegetables and pineapple are soft and caramelized (browned a bit and sticky) take them out. You may need to turn them once with tongs. Try to slip some of the skin from the peppers if possible.

Add the roasted vegetables, pineapple, cider vinegar and sugar to a large stainless steel skillet and bring to a boil. Add the piece of habanero or ghost pepper, reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Let the mixture cool a bit and use a stick blender to puree it slightly, leaving small bits and chunks. A blender or food processor works too, but don’t over process.

Combine the lemon juice and cornstarch to form a paste and stir it into the mixture. Return to a boil and boil gently for 2 or 3 minutes, stirring to release steam. Turn off heat and stir occasionally while cooling to release moisture. Bottle and chill.

‘Smokey’ Jalapeno Poppers

Ingredients:

18 jalapenos, cut in half & seeded

1 8 oz. container of Philadelphia Chive and Onion Cream Cheese (I used the 1/3 less fat….you will have some left)

1 tablespoon of olive oil

18 cocktail sausages, cut in half lengthwise (I use all beef…you may want to make a few extra just in case you are attempted to sample)

1 package of thin cut bacon (12 slices), sliced into thirds

brown sugar (to sprinkle on top before baking)

36 toothpicks

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Heat the olive oil in a saute pan and add the cocktail sausages. Stir and cook until heated through and browned well.

Next, lay the peppers out like as assembly line…and begin stuffing. First, the cream cheese, then add a sausage half.

Take the bacon piece and wrap it around the jalapeno, securing it with a toothpick. Repeat with the remaining jalapenos.

Place jalapenos on a baking sheet and sprinkle liberally with the brown sugar. (This helps to caramelize the bacon)

Bake for 45 minutes in the oven. (If the bacon still isn’t browned, turn on the broiler for a few minutes)

Ready to serve!