in&out of the kitchen – star ingredient
Ancient Chili Pepper By Euda Morales
A mysterious ingredient that sets fire to your tongue and even a tear in your eyes whenever you taste a spicy dish. Nowadays, it’s hard to imagine modern Latin American cuisine without chili peppers! Chili peppers are considered important ingredients from the “New World”. Native Americans from Central and South America ate them long before the European Explorers discovered this part of the world. Hot chili peppers enhanced the flavour of some dishes and were sometimes combined with tomatoes to produce an early version of a type of sauce. The fruits of the Capsicum species were named in a bit of confusion, initiating a mix-up which has lasted until today. The story began when Christopher Columbus discovered them on his first voyage to America and called them “peppers of the Indies”, because he was really searching for black pepper. Chili spread easily across Europe, China and India. The new spice was incorporated into different cuisines, even commercially grown in some places. Although present, it is not usually associated with European cuisine where the spicy flavours caused by chili peppers are seldom used. However, the chili pepper is extensively used in Asian cuisines and their dishes would be radically different without it. Nutritional Profile Red chili peppers are a very good source of provitamin A (carotene), vitamin C and dietary fiber. They are also a good source of iron and potassium. How to Select and Store Choose fresh chili peppers that have deep, vivid colours and glossy, taut and firm skins. Their stems should seem hardy and fresh. Avoid those that are wrinkled or have soft areas or black spots. Dried chili peppers must also have a vivid colour to guarantee good taste. Place unwashed fresh peppers in paper bags or wrap in paper towels and store in the refrigerator, where they should keep fresh for at least one week. Fresh peppers can also be hung in the sunlight to dry. Once dried, they can be used to make freshly ground chili powder.
Salmon with chili and rum sauce
Ingredients 2 Tomatoes 3 Pasa pepper (dried) 1 Garlic 1 Medium onion 1 Red bell pepper 15g Coriander 15g Black sesame seeds 200ml Fumet 45ml Coconut milk 30ml Rum 7g Sugar Preparation Grill all the first seven ingredients until brown. Add the fumet, the coconut milk, rum and sugar. Allow to reduce the mixture until nape texture and strain it. Grill the salmon and finish to cook in the oven at 180º C for 5 minutes. Garnish with gratinadas potatoes and boiled asparagus.
44 World Association of Chefs Societies