Popular as appetizer and bar fare, restaurants have been preparing the tasty pepper in creative ways.
Fall Into Spicy Soups
If you catch the chef eating something in his kitchen, chances are it will be a soup…
Orange Chicken with Sundried Peppers
Wacky Wok, my favorite Chinese place in West LA, makes a great spicy orange chicken. This homemade version from Fiery Foods and Barbecue Central, though, is far better.
Spiced-Up Chicken in Coconut Shells with Mango Cream
This dish is really worth the effort as it makes a very elegant and highly tropical presentation. To test if a coconut is fresh, pound a nail into one of the “eyes,” drain the coconut water and taste. If it tastes sweet it is fresh. Go ahead, mix a drink with some of the coconut water and rum or Scotch. You’ll be surprised by how good it tastes. Open the coconut by baking at 375 degrees F. for 15 minutes and let cool. Then, using a hacksaw, cut it in half. From the article Mango Madness!
Grilled: Sriracha and Apricot Preserves’ Love Child
Friday night I crossbred Sriracha with apricot preserves. While that statement sounds like I created a bogus sex ad on Craigslist, then bopped the red rooster on its head when it showed up, it’s actually less creepy than that. Search the internet for “wouldn’t it be cool if” and you’ll find all kinds of video for dumb ideas gone wrong. Sift through video after video of ER trips in their infancy, however, and you can find some good ideas that turned out pretty well. This is one of those times.
Barbecue 101: Rubs, Sauces, and Marinades Overview
Barbecue cooks have individual preferences about the proper meats and sauces to use, which differ from region to region. The various seasoning methods produce different results, and can be divided into three main categories: rubs–wet and dry, marinades, and sauces. Following are descriptions of each, along with cooking suggestions and recipes. Although barbecuing is one of the oldest cooking methods on earth, remember that the rules are not set in stone. Use these guidelines as a base, then create some classics of your own.
Hot and Sour Halibut
I love halibut but in some ways it’s the boring sex life of seafood. Mild of flavor and straightforward without a lot of kinks, it’s usually satisfying for one of the two parties involved. You gotta spice halibut up to keep it interesting. Dave and Mike ran a great flounder recipe in an Asian seafood story on the Super Site so I adapted it for halibut. It packs a real healthy burn, too.
