How to Add Jalapenos to Your Favorite Dishes

I'm not a huge fan of extremely hot food, but I do love a kick of spice on my taste buds. Diced jalapenos are a great way to add a little something to many basic foods. Also, jalapenos, like all chili peppers, are full of great health benefits due to the chemical that makes them hot. Though a few diced jalapenos added to your favorite dishes probably doesn't contain enough nutrition to cause a substantial change in your diet, it might just be the extra spice you need to take bland food up a notch.

Keep in mind that the heat of the pepper is found mostly in the seeds within, so, if you want something that's still hot but isn't going to scorch your tongue, I recommend cleaning out the inside membrane of the peppers. Make sure you wear gloves when handling the seeds, because their juices can burn sensitive skin. Also, be sure not to scratch your face or touch your lips or eyes while dicing jalapenos.

Off the top of your head, you can probably think of many traditional or Americanized Mexican dishes that are great with a little jalapeno, such as guacamole and taco mix. There might even be a few other dishes you enjoy with jalapenos, such as pizza or loaded burgers. Here are few favorite dishes that are great with added pep.

Adding Jalapenos to Cold Food

As I mentioned earlier, many people use jalapenos in their chilled guacamole, but finely diced jalapeno can go into other cold foods as well. The secret to adding jalapeno to cold foods is to let the food sit covered in a refrigerator for several hours (or even overnight) before it's eaten. This way, the flavor has time to mix and marinate with the food.

Minced jalapeno tastes delicious mixed with cream cheese. I recommend using very little, as the taste of the pepper is extremely noticeable in such a light food. Spoon out cream cheese into a separate container with a lid, then sprinkle with jalapeno. If you're up for the extra flavor, I also recommend adding a little minced garlic as well. Stir well, then cover the dish and let it sit in the refrigerator. Spread over a toasted bagel and enjoy.

Diced jalapeno is tasty in many cold salads as well, such as chicken and ham salad. My favorite, however, is tuna salad. Whip up your favorite tuna salad recipe (I'm a fan of salad including tuna, diced onion, mayonnaise, relish, and diced boiled egg) and simply add about a tablespoon of diced jalapeno to the mix. Stir, cover, and store for later. This salad has an excellent kick and you can eat it with bread or crackers, though I prefer to spoon it onto a fresh corn tostada (toasted or fried tortilla).

Adding Jalapenos to Warm Food

Jalapenos are best added to warm food while it's still cooking, so that the flavors have time to mix and so that the pepper itself is cooked and not as crisp. I mentioned earlier that, thanks to fast food chains and burger restaurants, more and more burgers and sandwiches are being made with jalapenos as a topping. But, next time you're at the grill, try adding a tablespoon of minced jalapeno, a dash of minced onion and a glove of minced garlic to the actual ground beef. This will allow the spicy jalapenos to lend flavor to the meat and will take away the messiness of jalapeno slices sliding out from between the buns.

Diced jalapeno is also great added to marinara-based pasta dishes like spaghetti. Add the jalapenos with the normally added onions and bell peppers to give your pasta a little extra kick.

In my household, we sometimes enjoy our scrambled eggs and omelets with salsa, but for even more spice, I recommend adding diced or sliced jalapeno to the eggs while they're still cooking. This cools down the hotness but retains the spice, making your bland egg breakfast tastier.

If eggs aren't you're thing, jalapenos are also great added to hash browns, or shredded potatoes. Whether you're cooking them fresh or from a package, shredded potatoes are great with toppings. Often times in restaurants or diners like Waffle House, they can be served with onions, ham, cheese, chili, and a number of other toppings. One topping that's usually ignored, though, is jalapeno. Next time you're stirring a batch of pan fried potatoes, add a few sliced jalapenos to the mix and top with a small portion of shredded pepper jack cheese. The extra flavor will leave your tongue with a new favorite breakfast option.

Get creative. Experiment and use jalapenos to add flavor to your favorite dishes. Then serve and enjoy!

Sources:
Personal Knowledge