5.+Handling+and+Preparing+Chile+Peppers



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=** How to Handle Chile Peppers: **=

Chiles can be purchased fresh, dried, smoked, or roasted. Remember, the smaller the pepper, the hotter it will be (usually). Like fruits, chiles carry their seeds on the inside. While many peppers are hot, some do have a variety of flavors, such as apricot, cocoa, nutty, plum, raisin, etc. //The Nibble, p. 2, Cooking With Chiles//

Fresh chile peppers work best when the pepper is firm and the skin is smooth. Wrinkled peppers have lost most of their flavor. “To select chiles for cooking, if you are searching for milder chiles, always select ones that have broad shoulders and blunt tips. For hotter chiles, select chiles with pointed tips and narrow shoulders.” It is best to use them as soon as they are purchased or to wrap them in a dry terry-cloth towel, place it in a paper bag, and place it in the refrigerator. They can stay like this for up to two weeks; do not place them in the freezer. //What’s Cooking America: Chile Peppers//
 * Dealing with Fresh Chile Peppers**

Buying loose dried chiles is better than packaged chiles because you can examine each individual pepper; **sundried chiles are the best**. “Dried chiles should have a rich (not dusty), uniform color, unbroken skins and a slight flexibility. Don’t buy those with skin blemishes. Select chilies that are still a little flexible and not dried to a crisp.” It is recommended to use a dried chile within one year of its’ production date. When storing dried chiles, keep them in cool, dry areas or in airtight containers in the refrigerator. //What’s Cooking America: Chile Peppers//
 * Dealing with Dried Chile Peppers**

The hotness of a chile pepper comes from their interior veins or ribs that are close to the seed heart; the heat does not come from the seed itself, like many believe. The closer a seed is to the vein of the pepper, the hotter it will be. If the veins are yellowish orange in color when you cut into the pepper, you know it is going to be a powerful one. //Mexican Food and Gifts ToGo//

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 * If you are going to use fresh or dried chile peppers in a recipe, it is wise to remove the tough skin, the seeds, and the ribs. The capsaicin in the oils can cause severe burns.

NEVER touch your face or eyes or anywhere close when handling chile peppers ( it will burn ). If you happen to touch your eyes, rinse them with plentiful amounts of water. What’s Cooking America: Chile Peppers
 * WARNING **: You should always wear gloves when working with any type of hot chile pepper, whether it is fresh, dried, or roasted, especially when cutting them. After cutting the peppers, wash the gloves. If your bare hands happen to come into contact with the chile pepper, wash your hands really well with soap and water. If you do not have a pair of gloves, greasing your fingers with shortening or cooking spray will also do the trick.

If you are grinding dried chiles, chile dust will be in the air, which may cause irritation to the eyes and throat.

It is always wise to wash your hands with soap and water after handling chile peppers, even if you have worn gloves.

If you have eaten something spicy, these things can help relieve the burning sensation in your mouth:
 * Milk
 * Yogurt
 * Ice cream
 * Sour cream
 * Bread
 * Rice
 * Tomato juice
 * Eat a fresh lemon or lime

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 * Water will __not__ help with the heat; it will actually make conditions worse. Water will spread the capsaicin to more parts of the mouth, instead of relieving the pain. Mexican Food and Gifts ToGo

“Ever bought dried, hard chipotle or other varieties of peppers at the fresh produce market and wonder how to reconstitute them to a useful texture? Try cooking the dried peppers in boiling water for 5 minutes - remove from burner and let stand for thirty minutes or until softened. Be aware of strong and irritating fumes while cooking: this is not the time to put your face over the cooking pot for a whiff of aromas!” Mexican Food and Gifts ToGo
 * Reconstituting Dried Peppers**

“Tie the stems onto a sturdy piece of twine, placing chilies close together and making the strand as long as you wish. Hang in dry area with the air circulating freely around the strand. In several weeks, chilies lose their brilliant hue, changing to a deep, glistening red; they will feel smooth and dry.” Mexican Food and Gifts ToGo
 * Drying Your Own Chile peppers**

// These photo tutorials for preparing fresh chile peppers are courtesy of Cynthia Detterick-Pineda of Andrews, TX. What’s Cooking America: Chile Peppers // = = = = =** How to Prepare Fresh Chile Peppers **=

Wash the chile pepper first. ||  Slice the chile pepper down the center with the tip of your knife. ||  You can see the membranes and seeds here in these two halves. The membranes are where the capsaicin is stored. It is this part of the chile pepper that carries the heat.
 * [[image:http://whatscookingamerica.net/CynthiaPineda/ChilePeppers/JalapenoPepper.JPG width="168" height="134" caption="fresh chile pepper, jalapeno pepper"]]

The seeds are not as hot, but since they are a part of the membrane they do have a slight bit more heat than the green outer chile pepper. ||  If you are simply dicing your chiles, the easiest way to clean them is to cut them into quarters. Then you can simply slide a sharp knife carefully down the green outer part of the chile pepper removing the white membrane and the seeds. If you are making a dish which requires chile halves, you can still clean them out easily with a sharp knife run along the inside edge to cut loose the membranes and remove the seeds. Just be very careful, as much as a small cut from a sharp knife hurts, it is much worse when it is touched by chile pepper. ||

= How to Roast Fresh Chile Peppers =

 Preheat the broiler of your oven. Wash and dry the chile peppers. Remove husks from tomatillos; wash and pat dry. Place chili peppers and tomatillos on a baking sheet; broil 3 to 5 minutes each side until blackened. Remove from oven. Place hot chile pepper in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap or an airtight container.

Roasted Chiles Good On/In:

 * Sandwiches
 * Eggs and cheese
 * Potatoes and onions
 * Salsa
 * As a condiment
 * Soups, stews, and salsa
 * Stir-fries
 * Meatloaf and sloppy Joes

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 * References**

Chili Pepper Madness. Retrieved from [] Nearman, S. (1996). //Chile heat scale: just how how are my chiles//? Retrieved from [] Mexican Food and Gifts ToGo. (1999). //Chili peppers//. Retrieved from [] Penzey's Spices. //Chili peppers//. Retrieved from [] Pepper Fool. (2007). //Welcome to the pepper fool's recipe pages//. Retrieved from [] Spice of Life. (2010). Retrieved from [] Stradley, L. (2004). //Chile peppers: how to prepare fresh chile peppers- how to roast fresh chile peppers- how to prepare dried chile peppers//. -- Retrieved from [] The Nibble. (2005). //Chile pepper glossary//. Retrieved from [] The Great Chilli Farm. (2010). Retrieved from http://www.chillifarm.com/chilli_info/history_of_the_chilli.asp