Some Like It Hot . . . In the Crockpot

About author / Pamela Chester

Mom of two; graduate French Culinary Institute; kids cooking program instructor; Master's degree in food studies. Creates kid friendly foods and loves her slow cooker.

Have you ever tasted something so hot that you felt the heat rising through your body and felt the need to go running for the nearest glass of water? Every time I cook or taste anything flavored with a fiery habanero pepper, I do just that, and then it takes my mouth a long while afterward to cool off. But the heat gives such a rush of flavor that it makes it worth it every time. Although generally I like heat on more of a mild to medium level, every once in a while a good dose of the hot stuff can shake things up. It can also clear a stuffy head if you have a cold.

Peppers are measured on the basis of Scoville units, which is a heat index that measures the level of capsaicin, which make up the hot flavor compounds. Lowest on the scale are bell peppers, which contain no capsaicin. The peppers with the highest level of heat are habeneros and scotch bonnets.

My introduction to the amazing variety of peppers and ways to cook them came via my father in law, an avid horticulturalist and legendary chili pepper grower. In his garden, you can find about 14 different varieties of peppers growing, from jalapenos to serranos, to what appears to be a mild looking yellow pepper that has a surprising bite. This is an amazing feat given that they live in the more temperate climate of southeastern Pennsylvania, and not an area closer to the equator with hotter year round weather. The peppers he grows are put to very good use throughout the year.

When visiting my other half’s family, what looks like an ordinary bowl of soup could be enlivened with a little dose of chili peppers that adds a whole lot of flavor. Their family and friends tell stories of dares to take bites out of the hottest habanero peppers, and boast of both living to tell about it and introducing many a tame palate to the rush of eating fiery food. Their traditional Thanksgiving leftover is spicy turkey soup.

In fact, I remember the first year that my husband and I were dating, his dad gave me a wonderful gift -- a string of colorful peppers that I could hang and dry (As chili peppers dry they became even more spicy). I considered this my true welcome into the family. With those peppers, I learned how to build spicy flavors, and that just a hint of heat could really add an additional layer of flavor.

The hot dishes I enjoy the most involve cooking over low and slow heat. This gives the chili pepper time to develop other flavors so that along with the heat, you are getting a more well-rounded taste. When cooking with peppers, I always remove the light colored inner ribs and seeds—those are the spiciest part. The pickled jalapenos (another family gift) we receive every year come with the seeds and these can really spice up a burger or sandwich. You may want to consider wearing gloves when handling the hottest of chili peppers; or wash your hands very carefully after cutting them.

So if you have the urge to “kick it up a notch” next time you are using the slow cooker, I suggest adding a bit of diced chili pepper to your routine for a meal that you won’t soon forget!

Serves/Makes: 18

• 1 pound shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 pound shredded American cheese
• 2 large tomato, peeled and chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 pounds bacon, cooked crisp, drained and crumbled
• 3 Habanero peppers, stems and seeds removed, chopped

Serves/Makes: 6

***For stock***

• 1 carcass from roast turkey or roast chicken
• 3 quarts water, or as needed
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 1 celery stalk, chopped
• 4 fresh flat-leaf parsley sprigs
• 1 bay leaf

***For Soup***

• 8 cups turkey stock
• 1 1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
• 2/3 cup peeled and diced carrot
• 1/2 cup diced celery
• 2 teaspoons chopped serrano or jalapeno peppers (or to taste)
• 1 cup cooked long-grain white rice
• 2 cups diced cooked turkey or chicken
• salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (optional)