Field Notes

This red pepper condiment is ubiquitous on the tables of restaurants and homes alike in its native Tunisia, and nearby countries including Algeria, Libya and Morocco. But it has made serious inroads in the States as well, appearing with regularity on the menus of top restaurants, and on supermarket shelves. Use it as a marinade on chicken or lamb, mix it into stir-fries, or whip it with goat cheese for a snack.

Yield:

• 1 1/4 cups
• 1 sun-dried tomato
• 3 ounces whole dried chiles, such as guajillo or New Mexico
• 1 roasted red bell pepper, peeled, stem and seeds removed
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1 shallot, diced
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground caraway
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt

In a medium bowl, add the tomato and the whole dried chilies. Cover with boiling water and set a plate inside the bowl to keep the chilies submerged. Let sit for 10 minutes. Then drain, and remove the stems from the chilies. Place the rehydrated chilies and tomato in a blender. Add the roasted bell pepper, garlic, shallot, coriander, cumin, and caraway. Turn on the blender and add the olive oil in a steady stream until thoroughly combined. Season the mixture with salt. Store in airtight glass jars in the refrigerator. The harissa will keep for one month.

Recipe by The Chili Lab. 

Image by Bon Appetite. 

You love making your own hot sauce? Let's take it to the next step. We have everything you need here: Homemade Hot Sauce Kit. 

If you have yet to experience the magic that is gochujang, allow this recipe to be your guide. The slightly fermented red pepper paste adds dimension to the fiery, funky kimchi, while silken tofu and pork belly add richness. This dish is perfect for a cold day when you're craving something cozy but not overly heavy.  

In some households, tamales are totems of the holiday season. The corn-based steamed cakes studded with filling and wrapped in corn husks are labor intensive, so they’re best undertaken with a bit of help. Our suggestion: throw a tamale party. Enlist friends and family to come over for a drink or two and put them to work, assembly-line style.

We’re fans of preparing a few different fillings for variety’s sake. We’ve made tamales with everything from red chili-soaked carnitas to green chili chicken. For vegetarians, try a traditional rajas tamale made with cheese and poblanos.

And no tamale party is complete without an army of hot sauces and condiments to doctor the finished product. Grab a copy of our Hot Sauce Field Guide for recipe inspiration to adorn your tamale bar.

Earlier this week, we shared our recipe for Mexican Hot Chocolate [link], and in the process of testing and drinking a few glasses, we decided we loved the flavors so much that we’d apply them to a pie (it is the week before Thanksgiving, after all).

This recipe is built off of a chocolate pie recipe from an old community cookbook we found in Texas. We love it for its ease (it’s a dump-and-stir deal), and consistent results. We kicked it up with the addition of chilies, vanilla and cinnamon, and a cornmeal crust that adds texture while giving a nod to the importance of cornmeal in Mexican cooking.

Hot chocolate might be marketed most successfully to those under the age of 10, but we’re big believers that the wintery beverage is appropriate for kids of all ages. And when cinnamon and a hint of chili come into play, the treat feels downright sophisticated (add a nip of rum and we’re really talking).