Mini: Chili Pepper Guide 2

[Margi Cintrano]

Good Afternoon,

As mentioned, here is Part 2 of the Mini Chili Pepper Guide covering Latin America Varieties, One USA Chili Pepper, Basilicata, Italia (southeast Italia ) and the Iberian Peninsula.

CALIFORNIA or ANAHEIM CHILI PEPPERS: a fresh green chili with mild piquantness. They are usually narrow and approximately 6 inches long and found in the region of southern California.

JALAPEÑOS: this very popular type of Mexican chili pepper possesses a medium heat to high piquantness. They are a dark green compact and larger than small chili pepper. They strongly resemble the Pimiento de Padrón from Padrón, Galicia, Spain.

POBLANO: this large chili pepper contains a light piquantness and possesses a thick pulp. It is approximately 4 inches long and quite wide. They provide a hint of subtle smoky flavor and are predominately used to stuff and roast or grill. *** I stuff mine with fresh langoustines, shrimps and crevettes.

BASILICATA, ITALIA: the hottest small fiery red chili pepper is called Diavuliccíu, meaning diabolic and devilish in English. It is a Capsicum variety, predominately used dry and sprinkled in sauces, pastas and calzones / pizzas.

GALICIA, ESPAÑA: this indigenious jalapeño looking medium size dark dark green chili pepper called Pimiento de Padrón hails from a small village called Padrón, in Spain´s northwest province, Padrón. These are quite popular sautéed in Evoo, with sea salt, and served a Tapa in taverns throughout the country.

LA VERA, EXTREMADURA, ESPAÑA: Smoked fiery red capsicum is made into a worldwide product known as PIMENTÓN which comes in a sweet or piquant variety and is used to sprinkle on uncountable Iberian dishes including Octopus, Spicy Brave Potatoes, Ibores Goat Cheese with a Pimentón Rind and Cod a La Gallega to name a few. Most foreigners call this product SMOKED PAPRIKA.

CHIPOTLE: This variety are dried smoked red jalapeños. They are commonly used in adobo marinades.

BASQUE GUINDILLAS: these tiny fiery red devils possess quite a kick and are used in numerous Basque Pinxtos which are Tapas ... They are dried, and can also be employed like dry red pepper flakes, just open the little diabolic hook of capscium.


All my best,
Margi Cintrano.

 

[Andy M.]

When a fresh Poblano is dried it's called an Ancho

When a fresh Chilaca is dried, it's called a Pasilla.

In some areas, a a dried Poblano is referred to as a Pasilla but this is a misnomer.

 

[Margi Cintrano]

Andy,

Thanks for the feedback and assistance ... Appreciate it.

I learn from my D.C. colleagues too ...

Best regards.
Margi.

 

[jennyema]

And California peppers are dried Anaheim peppers. And Anaheim isnt a region, it's a suburb of Los Angeles.

The hottest small red pepper is the Naga Viper, which you dont want to mess with.

 

[Margi Cintrano]

This note is duplicated on the Mini Guide 1 which contains 8 other distinct types of chili peppers which are CORRECT.

None the less, the 3 resources I used to research this are incorrect too, and not in English however, IN SPANISH. The three sources, are each from another country: Mexico, UK and USA.

Coloquially, I believe all these chili peps have other call names probably because of pronounciation purposes on the USA side of the border.

So, this is another problem.

Well, thanks for the post.

Margaux.

 

[Steve Kroll]

In some areas, a a dried Poblano is referred to as a Pasilla but this is a misnomer.

Yeah, it's surprising how often you see this, even from legitimate suppliers. For example, Melissa's Produce (out of LA) calls them Pasillas. Melissa's also calls them Chilaca, which clearly they are not. Chilacas are thin chilis that tend to become gnarly and twisted as they mature.

 

[Andy M.]

Yeah, it's surprising how often you see this, even from legitimate suppliers. For example, Melissa's Produce (out of LA) calls them Pasillas. Melissa's also calls them Chilaca, which clearly they are not. Chilacas are thin chilis that tend to become gnarly and twisted as they mature.

I believe a dried Chilaca is a true Pasilla.

 

[taxlady]

Next time I buy chilis, I'm going to post a photo and ask what kind it is. They usually only say "chili peppers" at the store or it's a Chinese store and they don't know the English, or even the French, name for them. Same at the Indian grocery store.

The only ones I recognize are Scotch bonnets/habaneros, jalapeños, and cubanelles.

 

[Margi Cintrano]

Steve, Tax Lady & Andy,

Thanks alot for your feedback.

Thanks for your input and knowledge on subject.
Grazie, Ciao,
Margi.

 

[Steve Kroll]

Another chili that's very popular here is the Fresno Chili. Many people think they're mature jalapeños, but they are a US variety that was developed in California in the 1950s.

 

[Margi Cintrano]

Steve,

Thanks so much for posting the photo. Very kind of you.

Have a question: what is the piquantness level of the Fresno ?

Any specific uses for it ?

Thanks.
Margi.

 

[Steve Kroll]

Steve,

Thanks so much for posting the photo. Very kind of you.

Have a question: what is the piquantness level of the Fresno ?

Any specific uses for it ?

Thanks.
Margi.

Margi,

They have roughly the same level of heat as jalapeños. The measure of piquance we use in the US is the Scoville Rating. Both Fresnos and Jalapeños fall in the 3500-8000 Scoville range.

They are used primarily fresh, and are wonderful in salsas, and can be substituted anywhere you would use a Jalapeño. My favorite use for Fresnos is as follows: blanch until tender, stuff with cream cheese, wrap in bacon, and grill them until the bacon is crisp and the cheese melted.

Steve

 

[Greg Who Cooks]

My favorite use for Fresnos is as follows: blanch until tender, stuff with cream cheese, wrap in bacon, and grill them until the bacon is crisp and the cheese melted.

Poppers!

 

[Steve Kroll]

Poppers!

Exactly!

 

[Andy M.]

...My favorite use for Fresnos is as follows: blanch until tender, stuff with cream cheese, wrap in bacon, and grill them until the bacon is crisp and the cheese melted.

Steve

Steve, I'm curious why you blanch them first. I have made poppers with jalapeños but just went on the grill raw.

 

[buckytom]

add a little smoked sausage to it and you have an abt (atomic buffalo turd).

steve, i also blanch my peppers for poppers or abt's if i'm grilling them so everything is done together, but if i'm smoking them low and slow, i leave them raw.

 

[Greg Who Cooks]

Steve, I'm curious why you blanch them first. I have made poppers with jalapeños but just went on the grill raw.

I sort of wondered that too. Everything I know about Poppers comes from Pioneer Woman's book (not surprisingly called Pioneer Woman Cooks). Unfortunately she doesn't show the recipe on her website.

She doesn't blanch hers either.

I have the recipe here but since it's copyrighted I can quote only the ingredients:

BBQ Jalapeno Poppers

18 fresh jalapenos
one 8 oz package cream cheese
1/2 C. grated cheddar cheese
1 green onion, sliced
18 slices thin bacon, cut into halves
bottled barbecue sauce

You can figure out the method.

I suspect she doesn't need to blanch the peppers because she bakes hers rather than grilling them, like 275 for an hour. The longer cooking time probably makes up for not blanching.

 

[Dawgluver]

Maybe the Fresnos have a thicker skin?

 

[4meandthem]

I bought a package of premade 3 cheese stuffed pablanos from Costco taday for one of the quick nights. I'll post a review in the off topic when I finally try them. They have a tomato sauce on top and look pretty authentic from the Food-art photo on the box.

I have bought poppers stuffed with cheddar and stuffed with cream cheese. I prefer the cheddar. I have made my own but I think I prefer the premade frozen ones. The chili has a real fresh/grassy flavor I like. The homemade one are always hotter even if I remove the ribs/seeds.
I am sure they are a hybrid grown for their intended purpose.

 

[Steve Kroll]

Steve, I'm curious why you blanch them first. I have made poppers with jalapeños but just went on the grill raw.

Andy, I've done the same thing with jalapeños, but fresnos have skin that's a little tougher. If you don't blanch them first, what I've found happens is that the bacon gets done and the cheese melts, but the skin is still tough.