Keepin' the Kitchen Hot

We wanted to dedicate our last non recipe posting of the month to our spicy staples. We try to keep these in our kitchen at all time just in case the mood for spice hits us!

Hot Sauce- Going through culinary school the biggest thing we learned about ‘our friend Pete’ (Texas Pete) was that it could be put in pretty much anything. If you use very little, it doesn’t bring much of a burn, but it does give a different level of flavor. Examples of where we frequently use it, not as a heat element, but as flavoring. Just make sure you use a small amount and taste as you go:

- Pasta sauce
- Hummus
- Salad dressings
- Mixed with ketchup for dipping or as a sandwich topping
- In tuna, chicken or pasta salads

Of course it can also be used to add heat:

- Mix it with some melted butter and pour over popcorn
- Add a little extra spice to your takeout Chinese food
- Spicy Bloody Marys

Chili Oil- If you’re sautéing this is a good base to use either alone, or in combination with a mild oil. The chili oil gives just a little extra kick.

Ground cayenne- Excellent for putting into homemade Mexican foods if you don’t have any fresh or dried peppers hanging around.

Crushed red pepper flakes- Great on pizza and in sauces. Can be used on sandwiches and salads for that extra zing.

Peppercorns- We highly recommend investing in a pepper grinder. Buying pre ground pepper is alright, but it doesn’t have the punch of freshly ground pepper, it also loses its potency much quicker. Freshly ground pepper can be used on/in anything (although, we tend to use it more in savory dishes).

Horseradish/Spicy mustards– We use to spice up all sorts of mayo based salads and sauces. It’s also a fun little addition to dips and dressings, and if you’re looking for some extra heat in your cocktail sauce, throw in a little horseradish. These also have the added benefit of clearing out your sinuses!

Those are the basics. If you want a couple things above and beyond:

- Chipotle peppers packed in adobo- awesome added to chilies or soups that you want a little spicy and smoky. These come canned and if you can’t use all of what’s in the can at once (we never do) you can pack the remainder up in a storage bag and pop it in the freezer.

- Various dried peppers- If you’re ever in a pinch, you can rehydrate peppers and use them in place of the fresh peppers that are called for in a recipe.



So, what else do you keep in the house to add heat to your food?