This guide explains the most common types of peppers we use in our cooking, how hot they tend to be, and what dishes they go best with. Keep in mind when preparing your meals that the heat can vary between individual peppers and between different regional varieties, so you may have one jalapeno much hotter than another, or find that anaheims are less spicy depending on what area of the world you are in. The heat of a pepper is measured on the Scoville scale, which ranges from 0 (not hot at all) to an effective upper limit of about 2 million (searing pain like licking the sun or aiming a can of pepper spray in your mouth). Although the top end is in the millions, even a rating of as low as 350,000 is still incredibly hot and can bring a person to tears. The Scoville scores listed here are general heat ranges for the average peppers at our nearby stores.
Here are the beauties we've been working with most lately (from upper-left to lower-right: orange bell pepper, red bell pepper, poblano, anaheim, yellow banana, jalapeno, serrano, and habanero):
Red Bell Pepper
Bell peppers have essentially no heat at all, and aren't used to spice up meals so much as add color, flavor, and nutrition. Green bell peppers are the most common, and have a mild flavor that works well in many kinds of food, but we're more partial to the beautiful red version. Reds tend to be slightly more expensive than the standard green bell pepper, at around 75 cents to 1.50 a pop.
As with most peppers, the red bell has a large cluster of seeds inside that should be removed before dicing the pepper itself. Long strips of red bell peppers cut lengthwise are fantastic when cooked on a skillet with balsamic vinegar and olive oil to top pasta. Diced squares or long strips make great additions in omelets or breakfast skillets, and thin slices are a favorite pizza topping, especially when mixed with bell peppers of other colors. We also like to add slices of bell pepper to potatoes and onions when grilling for potato packet side dishes. Finally, diced peppers are an excellent topping for a dinner salad.
Besides being used as an added ingredient, bell peppers also make wonderful centerpieces, such as by baking a red bell pepper stuffed with couscous or sausage.
While good cooked on the stove, bell peppers can really shine when they are "roasted" in your oven's broiler, which causes the skin to blacken and brings out the flavor of the pepper's "flesh." Recently we roasted a variety of peppers to make hummus, and roasted peppers are also used for a type of dip known as harissa. Red bell pepper harissa is an amazing accompaniment to chicken skewers and can be made in several different ways, depending on the consistency and heat you want. For a good starting point, check out this recipe.
Orange Bell Pepper
Much like the previous pepper, the orange bell also has no heat at all and is used for color and flavor. Adding an orange bell pepper with other varieties gives you a colorful medley that is more visually appealing than using only one type of pepper. Besides the previously mentioned pepper strips over pasta, mix together bell peppers for a pepper themed soup,or to make a fun and crunchy Asian bowl at home.
What discussion on bell peppers would be complete without a look at fajitas? Strips of different colored peppers, along with red and white onion, make excellent fajita fixings. You can do these either baked or cooked on the stovetop or flame cooked on the grill.
Orange bell peppers are a frequent ingredient in the sweeter salsas that feature fruits like mango, but they don't have to just go on sweet dishes. Besides regular pizzas, green and orange bell peppers diced into small squares are perfect additions to pizza bagels. These can be baked normally, but are more fun in countertop toaster ovens. For a pizza bagel, spread a small amount of tomato based pizza sauce on both sides of the bagel along with a handful of mozzarella, then top with diced tomatoes and peppers. Pop the bagels in the toaster oven and cook until the cheese is melted and the sauce is hot for a quick and fun miniature version of pizza.
Anaheim
Finally getting in a pepper with a little bit of bite, anaheims are actually among the least spicy, usually landing at less than 1,000 on the Scoville scale. Anaheims are great for people who don't want a lot of heat but still want to experiment with peppers or Mexican style meals. This type of pepper is usually a light green, although depending on the ripeness the pepper may have streaks of yellow or orange near the tip. Anaheims are around twice the size of a jalapeño but can get much larger, up to around six or seven inches long.
There are nearly limitless applications for this versatile pepper, and we like to chop them up or slice strips to put on burgers or in breakfast burritos and omelets. Anaheims also make regular appearances in our breakfast skillets. If you are putting sauteed vegetables over pasta, then an anaheim can add a slightly spicy element.
To use a whole anaheim, slice open one side of the pepper and stuff the interior with cream cheese or cheddar and hold everything together with toothpicks. These are great on the grill, but can also be baked in the oven. The end result is better than store bought poppers and are healthier, since they aren't breaded or fried. If a more healthy option isn’t for you, wrap the stuffed pepper in bacon or chop up bacon pieces and place them inside the pepper with the cheese.
Anaheims are also sold canned, which are usually labeled as "green chilies" and have a softer, squishier texture. For a change of pace, throw canned green chilies into breakfast burritos or on top of burgers (veggie or beef based).
Poblano
The thicker, darker colored poblano is comparable to anaheim in terms of heat, usually less than 2,500 on the Scoville scale. Poblanos have a deep, dark green that occasionally heads toward an almost blackish brown. Although usually of the same general shape as an anaheim, some poblanos end up curving as they grow until they get twisted around in the middle.
Poblanos work in much the same way as anaheims, and are good in all the same dishes. Besides using in breakfast creations or stuffing with other ingredients, we also enjoy dicing poblanos to use as a darker colored salad topping along with other toppings like tomato and green onions.
Banana Pepper
The yellow pepper, sometimes known as the banana pepper, has very little spice - even less heat than the average anaheim or poblano. The yellow pepper usually scores less than 900 on the Scoville scale, and works well by balancing against hotter peppers in chunky or liquidy salsas. If you want very little heat but still want the texture of a firm pepper, throw diced pieces into anything you'd normally make with anaheims, poblanos, or jalapenos.
Along with the red bell pepper and many others, we also roast banana peppers to use in hummus. We'll have more blog entries coming up using banana peppers in different ways, but for now check out a list of recipes to help inspire your cooking adventures at this location.
Pepperoncini
The pepperoncini is a pickled, jarred pepper similar in heat to a banana pepper, although it can be slightly less or more hot depending on the specific pepper. Pepperonicinis are frequently used as a garnish for house or Greek salads, placed in some sandwiches, or put into antipasta platters or pasta salads. When using as a garnish, either place a whole pepper on the side of the salad, or slice off thin rings and top the salad. The seeds are the hottest part and all clustered together in a tight bunch towards the top of the pepper, so avoid this part if heat isn't your goal.
Jalapeno
The jalapeno is where peppers begin to actually get significantly hot, although most people can easily stand the heat of biting into a jalapeno. A jalapeno usually scores less than 8,000 on the Scoville scale, and the iconic pepper has a dark green coloration.
Stuffed jalapenos are a classic dish, and there a plenty of varieties to be found in the frozen food section at the grocery store, but making your own can be much more fun and flavorful. For a real change of pace, stuff the jalapenos with crawfish meat (usually available frozen at the supermarket or sometimes fresh at the butcher’s block) and cream cheese and bake in the oven. Jalapenos work in all the previously mentioned dishes used for anaheims or poblanos, but they get noticeably spicier.
Jarred, pre-sliced jalapenos are a staple for the fridge, as they can be thrown into pretty much any savory meal and have a slightly less firm texture. Sliced jalapeno rings go great in just about anything, from macaroni and cheese to burgers or salsa and even homemade bread.
Chili in Adobo Sauce
There is a lesser known version of canned jalapenos, which are frequently labeled as "Chipotle peppers in Adobo sauce." This is a smoked version of jalapenos with a very different flavor and texture, served in a spicy sauce, that is available in the Mexican section at most stores.
Along the Scoville scale chilies in adobo sauce are usually listed near jalapenos, but it's been our experience that they tend to actually be much hotter. Discretion is advised if you haven't used these before, as it's very easy to make a dish much hotter than you anticipated. In most cases, one pepper is more than enough, with three peppers about being the upper limit before things are hot enough to no longer be enjoyable.
Our favorite method of using these chilies is to cut up about two of the peppers and toss them, along with a bit of the sauce, into ground turkey with some chopped cilantro to make spicy turkey burgers. In a pinch these can also be substituted for other peppers in breakfast foods like skillets or omelets.
Serrano
Generally hotter than a jalapeno, the long, thin serrano pepper lands around a 15,000 on the Scoville scale. These peppers are usually much skinnier than jalapenos, so they aren't ideal for stuffing, but are otherwise used for the same types of dishes as jalapenos when you want more heat. We most frequently use serranos for Megan's homemade salsa, which will be covered step-by-step in an upcoming blog entry.
Habanero
Among the hottest peppers readily available in the average grocery store, habaneros garner a searing 350,000 score on the Scoville scale and are best used in small quantities. Directly popping a habanero in your mouth and chewing the flesh and seeds is an all around bad idea, and can leave a burning pain in your mouth for hours. These tiny terrors are most frequently a deep orange in color and have noticeable ridges and valleys around the sides.
It's critical to use gloves or keep some other barrier, such as a paper towel, between your skin and the habanero at all times, and wash your hands thoroughly after handling them. The capsaicin from the habanero easily transfers to your skin - which can result in pain the likes of you which you never imagined possible if you then touch your eyes or genitals. Trust me on this one, as I learned a very painful lesson you don't need to experience when making habanero infused vodka for a vodka themed birthday meal.
Habaneros can go in salsas or any number of other meals if you want a lot of heat. To tame them and not eat them directly, we have used habaneros (spicy seeds removed) mixed with wine, vinegar, and other less spicy ingredients to make a sauce or marinade for seafood.
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