Fresh Chiles
Chile peppers donโt just make foods hot; they also add nuanced layers of flavor to a dish. Since everyoneโs taste buds are differentโone person can enjoy Scotch bonnets while another canโt even go near jalapeรฑosโyouโll want to let your preferences be your guide. Hereโs a quick primer.
Shishitos
Shishitos are very mild medium-size Japanese chiles that are long, skinny, and shiny bright green, with a grassy, ยญcitrusy flavor. And since theyโre mild, they can be dishes on their own, as with blistered shishito peppers. Substitute Padrรณn chile peppers. Heat:*
LC NOTE: One in every several shishito peppers will be fiery hot. Consider it sorta like playing an adventurous game of Russian roulette with far less dire consequences.
Poblanos
Poblanos are mild, large, triangular chiles that are green to red-brown in color, with a crisp, vegetal flavor. Substitute Anaheim chiles. Heat:*
LC NOTE: Poblanos are typically braised long and slow or, due to their rather generous girth, stuffed with all manner of indulgent things like sausage and cheese and then baked. We fancy them for bringing a slow undercurrent of heat to braised chicken with tomatillos.
Anaheims
Anaheims are mild to medium-hot large chiles that are long and skinny, yellow-green to red, and mildly tangy and vegetal. Substitute poblanos. Heat:**
LC NOTE: Anaheims bring a slow, steady warmth thatโs mitigated by pasta and lotsa cheese in our green chile macaroni and cheese.
Jalapeรฑos
Jalapeรฑos are medium-hot small green or red chiles that are smooth and shiny, with a bright, grassy flavor. Substitute serranos. Heat: **
LC NOTE: We appreciate the straightforward, reliable, nothing-to-guess flavor we can expect jalapeรฑos to bring to everything from guacamole to cheese crusted grilled cheese.
Serranos
Serranos are medium-hot small dark green or red chiles with a bright, citrusy flavor. Substitute jalapeรฑos. Heat: ***
LC NOTE: These lively peppers work almost anywhere, raw or cooked, though weโre partial to them in the slaw for these pulled pork tacos.
Thai chiles
Thai chiles are hot, bright red or green, narrow, and petite, with a clean flavor similar to black peppercorns. Substitute a half-dose of habaneros. Heat: ***
LC NOTE: Even kids have been known to pack some Thai chile heat when it comes in the form of the slightly sweet, spicy, salty Thai classic Pad Gkaprow Mu thatโs made with ground pork.
Habaneros
Habaneros are very hot, bulbous, bright orange to red, deeply floral, and fruity. Substitute a double dose of Thai chiles. Heat: ****
LC NOTE: Just know what youโre getting yourself into with these bold babies! The richness of braised pork in chile sauce is the perfect way to soak up some of that heat.