It is ironic that of all the foods native to the Americas, the hot chile has yet to be incorporated into the everyday diet of the 20th century North American. Especially with the habit of eating "healthy" food which is now vogue in the United States.
Chiles are exceptionally good for you. High in vitamin C, the chile adds flavor to food without adding many calories, sodium, or fat. Poorer countries have known for years that you can feel full on less food if the food is highly spiced.
The genus Capsicum contains all of the pepper fruits, including the tame Bell, but does not include black pepper (Piper nigrum). Capsicum is part of the lager nightshade family, related to tomatoes and potatoes both of which are also native to the Americas.
Heat
Since the alkaloid capsaicin, the heat producing defense mechanism of the pepper, is produced at the junction of the placenta and the pod walls, the ribs of the pepper can be removed to reduce the "strength" of the pepper. On page 238 of "The Whole Chile Pepper Book", it states "The seeds are not sources of heat, as commonly believed". Thus the seeds add nothing to the resulting dish, and might be removed for aesthetic purposes.
When working with peppers, be certain to avoid contact with skin, as the capsaic in it can cause irritation to the eyes, as well as the mouth. Never feed to pets, or unwitting children. I would suggest you don't trim your finger nails before working with chiles. I have made this very painful mistake once.
Much work has been done to determine the "heat scale" of chile peppers, which is measured in "Scoville Units", named for Wilbur L. Scoville a scientist at Parke-Davis. His work was used to measure capsaicin for the ointment "Heet". For reference, pure capsaicin equals 16,000,000 Scoville units. The "Official Chile Heat Scale" is reproduced here from the Whole Chile Pepper Book:
2 500 - 1,000 NuMex Big Jim, New Mexican Green 6-4
1 100 - 500 R-Naky, Mexi-Bell, Cherry
0 0 Mild Bells, Pimiento, Sweet Banana
Help
If by chance you eat more capsaicin than you might like, the quickest remedy can be found in dairy products. Sour Cream, Milk, and Ice Cream all will help to put out the chile fire. While water will eventually wash the capsaicin away, it can take up to twice as long to relieve your mouth.
A Recipe
The following recipe is one of my favorites. It is low in everything, other than taste.
Choose the pepper for this recipe according to your tastes. I prefer New Mexican Green Chiles, but Bell Peppers, or no peppers, work just fine.
1 Pepper of Choice (Bell, Jalapeno, New Mexican Green, etc.)
Fresh Lime Juice
4 Flour Tortillas
Salt
Prep
Trim the Scallions, leaving most of the green parts, and enough of the root to keep the onion together. Rub lightly with the oil.
Out Doors Cooking
Roast the pepper over a hot charcoal grill, turning often until the skin is black and blistered. Place the pepper in a bag while hot, this will help steam the skins off of the pepper. After 10 minutes, peal the pepper under running water. Stem, seed and cut into strips. Set Aside.
Grill the onions until well cooked, but not burnt; about 5 - 7 minutes.
In Doors Cooking
Follow the Out Door cooking directions, but use a broiler in place of the charcoal grill. Do not use a griddle (as if for pancakes), or a pan. The results are not the same.
Wrap 3 onions and 1/4 of the pepper strips in a tortilla. Sprinkle with fresh lime juice. Lightly salt to taste.
Makes 4 appetizers.
- Brian Silver
silver@ctron.com
Sources
DeWitt, Dave and Gerlach,Nancy.The Whole Chile Pepper Book. ISBN 0-316-18223-0
McGee, Harold. On Food and Cooking - The Science and Lore of the Kitchen. ISBN
