1,001 Best Hot and Spicy Recipes (97 page)

 

1.
Partially crack the crab claws so that the sauce will be able to soak in. In a deep-sided frying pan, melt the butter over low heat. Add the garlic, ground chile, tomato paste, wine, and lime juice. Cook slowly until the wine is cooked off and the flavors have blended, about 15 minutes. Add the crab claws and increase the heat. Carefully toss the claws in the sauce until they are warmed through. Sprinkle with parsley and serve with rice and lime wedges.

Yield: 4 servings

Heat Scale: Medium

 

¼ cup (59 mL) butter
¼ cup (59 mL) peanut oil
2 tablespoons (30 mL) crushed dried piri-piri chile, seeds included (or substitute piquins)
4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
3 tablespoons (45 mL) lime or lemon juice (fresh preferred)
1 pound (454 g) shrimp or prawns, shelled and deveined

 

1.
In a skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the oil, chiles, garlic, and lime or lemon juice. Simmer for a couple of minutes to blend the flavors.

2.
Toss the shrimp in the marinade and marinate for a couple of hours.

3.
Thread the shrimp on skewers and grill them over charcoal or broil, basting with the marinade, until done.

4.
Heat the marinade and serve it on the side.

Yield: 3 servings

Heat Scale: Medium

 

2 tablespoons (30 mL) ghee or cooking oil
3 small green bell peppers, chopped
3 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 small onion, peeled and chopped
3 Kenya chiles, stems and seeds removed, chopped fine (or substitute red jalapeños)
2 tablespoons (30 mL) cornstarch
2¼ cups (532 mL) coconut milk
2¼ cups (532 mL) Traditional European Fish Stock (page 47)
1 tablespoon (15 mL) ground turmeric or mild curry powder
Salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
3 (7-ounce [196 g]) fish fillets
Juice of 3 limes

 

1.
Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180°C).

2.
In a frying pan, heat the ghee or cooking oil over medium heat. Add the green peppers, tomatoes, onions, and chiles and sauté until they are just cooked, then lower the heat. Add the cornstarch, coconut milk, fish stock, and turmeric. Cook slowly until the mixture thickens. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Place the fish fillets in a large, ovenproof frying pan, cover them with the sauce, and sprinkle them with the lime juice. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the fish is cooked. Serve with your favorite rice dish from Chapter 13.

Yield: 4 servings

Heat Scale: Mild

 

1½ pounds (680 g) fresh prawns
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons (30 mL) vegetable oil
1 onion, peeled and chopped
1 tablespoon (15 mL) chopped chives or green onions, plus more for garnish
2 tomatoes, chopped
2 teaspoons (10 mL) curry powder
½ teaspoon (2.5 mL) ground cayenne
1 ounce (28 g) butter, melted
1 ounce (28 g) all-purpose flour
1 large or 2 small pineapples (for individual dishes, use small pineapples)

 

1.
Boil the prawns in salted water for 10 minutes. Reserve 1 cup (236 mL) of the cooking water. Peel off the shells and remove the black vein running down the back. Sprinkle the prawns with lemon juice.

2.
In a frying pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, chives, tomatoes, curry powder, and cayenne. Cook for 5 minutes, then add the reserved stock and prawns and simmer over a low heat for 5 minutes. Mix together the butter and flour and add it, a little at a time, to the prawns, stirring after each addition until smooth. Cook 3 to 5 minutes longer. Halve the pineapples lengthwise and cut out some of the flesh. Fill the pineapple hollows with the prawn mixture and sprinkle with more chopped chives.

Yield: 14-16 pastries

Heat Scale: Medium

 

2 large sweet potatoes, unpeeled
1-2 cups (236-473 mL) corn flour
2 tablespoons (30 mL) olive oil
1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 pound (454 g) fresh tuna, cooked
1 medium tomato, chopped
2 red jalapeño chiles, stems and seeds removed, finely chopped (or substitute 1 teaspoon [5 mL] ground cayenne)
1 teaspoon (5 mL) salt
Vegetable oil for deep frying

1.
Wash the sweet potatoes well and boil them until they are very tender, about 15 minutes. Reserve a little of the cooking water. Let the potatoes cool slightly, then remove their skins. Transfer the potatoes to a food processor and blend them to a smooth paste, or mash them thoroughly in a large bowl, making sure to get out all the lumps. Slowly add the corn flour, blending it in with your hands or a wooden spoon to make a stiff dough. The moisture in your potatoes will determine how much flour you need, but the dough should resemble biscuit dough or a coarse pie pastry. If it becomes too dry, add a few teaspoons (10-15 mL) of the water in which the potatoes were cooked. Roll the dough into a ball, wrap it in a damp, lint-free cloth, and refrigerate it while you make the filling.

2.
In a sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté until they become transparent. Flake the tuna into a bowl and add the sautéed onions, tomato, jalapeños, and salt. Unwrap the dough and spread the damp towel on a flat surface. Working on top of the towel, tear off golfball-sized pieces of the dough and roll them into circles about ⅛-inch (.25 cm) thick and 4-5 inches (10-12.5 cm) in diameter. Put a tablespoonful (15 mL) of the tuna filling on half of a dough circle; fold the other half over it and pinch the edges to seal. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.

3.
In a deep, heavy pot, heat the oil for frying until a test piece of dough sputters vigorously. You may either deep-fry the turnovers or fry them in a couple of inches (5 cm) of oil, turning them once to allow both sides to cook. Fry 2 or 3 at a time. The oil is the right temperature when a test turnover becomes golden brown after frying about 3 minutes on each side. Drain the pastries on paper towels and serve immediately.

Yield: 4-6 servings

Heat Scale: Medium

 

4-5 dried red New Mexican chiles, stems and seeds removed
1 pound (454 g) shrimp, shelled and deveined, shells reserved
2 cups (473 mL) water
1 cup (236 mL) lemon juice
3 pounds (1.36 kg) sea bass, grouper, or snapper
Salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
3 tablespoons (45 mL) peanut oil
2 bell peppers, stems and seeds removed, finely chopped
2 medium tomatoes, peeled and sieved
2 red onions, peeled and finely chopped
½ teaspoon (2.5 mL) ground nutmeg
2¼ teaspoons (11.25 mL) ground dried shrimp
½ cup (118 mL) coconut milk
½ cup (118 mL) grated coconut
¼ teaspoon (1.25 mL) ground coriander

1.
Rehydrate the chile pods in a bowl of water. Purée them in a blender with about 2 tablespoons (30 mL) of the soaking water and set the purée aside.

2.
In a large bowl, combine the water and lemon juice. Clean and eviscerate the fish, leaving the head on and the eyes out. Wash the fish and acidulate it in the lemon water for a few minutes. Season the fish inside and out with salt and pepper and refrigerate until ready to cook.

3.
In a skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the bell peppers, tomatoes, chile purée, onions, nutmeg, and ground dried shrimp and sauté for 7 minutes. Add the coconut milk, grated coconut, and coriander and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

4.
Place the marinated fish and shrimp in a pan large enough to hold it intact, and pour the sauce over it. Add a little water at this point if necessary. Cover the pan with foil and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir only once, without breaking the fish, then simmer, covered, for another 10 minutes or so. Add small amounts of water as needed.

Yield: 4 servings

Heat Scale: Hot

 

2 pounds (1.1 kg) fish fillets
2 tablespoons (30 mL) chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons (30 mL) chopped fresh mint or basil
6 Kenya chiles, stems and seeds removed, chopped (or substitute red jalapeños)
5 tablespoons (75 mL) ground cumin
5 tablespoons (75 mL) grated coconut
1 teaspoon (5 mL) salt
1 tablespoon (15 mL) chopped garlic or onion
2 tablespoons (30 mL) chopped fresh ginger
2 tablespoons (30 mL) oil, divided
½ cup (118 mL) lime juice, divided

 

1.
Place the fish in a shallow dish. In a blender or food processor, combine the cilantro, mint, chiles, cumin, coconut, salt, garlic, and ginger. Blend to a fine paste. Mix in 1 tablespoon (15 mL) each of the oil and lime juice. Coat the fish with this mixture and leave to marinate for 30 minutes.

2.
Preheat the broiler pan on high. Brush the pan with the remaining oil to prevent sticking. Put the fish under the broiler for 2 minutes, then reduce the heat or lower the pan and broil, basting with the remaining lime juice, until the fish is cooked but not dry, 7 to 10 minutes.

Yield: 8 servings

Heat Scale: Medium

 

1 cup (236 mL) vegetable oil, divided
4 large tomatoes, sliced
2 bell peppers, stems and seeds removed, sliced in rings
2 jalapeño chiles, stems and seeds removed, chopped
2 onions, peeled and chopped
Zest of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon (5 mL) salt, plus more to taste
1 teaspoon (5 mL) freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
2 bay leaves
2 cups (473 mL) water
Juice of 1 lemon
2 pounds (1.1 kg) red snapper or halibut, cut into 6 sections
1 cup (236 mL) all-purpose flour
4 cups (.95 L) cooked rice

 

1.
In a large saucepan, heat ½ cup (118 mL) of the oil over medium heat. Add the tomatoes, bell pepper, jalapeños, onions, lemon peel, salt, and pepper and sauté for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the water, lemon juice, and bay leaves and simmer for 15 minutes or until the sauce is moderately thick.

2.
In a large skillet, heat the remaining oil. Rub the fish with salt and pepper and dip it in the flour. Add the fish to the pan and fry it until it is brown and tender. To serve, place the cooked rice on a large platter. Put the fish on top of the rice and pour the sauce over everything.

Yield: 6 servings

Heat Scale: Mild to Medium

 

1½ cups (354 mL) blanched almonds, toasted and ground
½ cup (118 mL) confectioner’s sugar
1 tablespoon (15 mL) orange-flower water
1 tablespoon (15 mL) ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons (10 mL) hot paprika
½ cup (118 mL) water, divided, plus more if needed
¼ cup (59 mL) butter, softened, divided, plus more for buttering the baking dish
Salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 (3-4 pound [1.36-1.82 kg]) whole white fish, such as snapper or grouper,
cleaned
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 pinch saffron threads, crushed

 

1.
Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Butter a large baking dish.

2.
In a bowl, combine the almonds, sugar, orange-flower water, cinnamon, paprika, 3 tablespoons (45 mL) of the water, half the butter, the salt, and the pepper and mix to a smooth paste. Salt and pepper the fish inside and out, then fill it with half the almond mixture.

3.
In a bowl, mix together the onion, saffron, and the remaining water. Pour this mixture into the prepared baking dish. Place the fish on the onion mixture and spread the remaining almond mixture over the fish. Melt the remaining butter and trickle it over the almond mixture.