Hablamos de Chiles

If you are a chile eater, you have probably seen or heard of the Scoville Chile Heat Chart. The Scoville scale measures the hotness of a chili pepper, as defined by the amount of capsaicin (a chemical compound that stimulates nerve endings in the skin) present. In other words the amount of burn you are going to feel. The scale is named after its an American chemist named Wilbur Scoville. He developed a test for rating the pungency of chiles.

(If you'd like to learn more about this test, click here)

I found this chart on a great website called Eat More Chilies. Apparently the site grew from one chile pepper writing assignment in Arizona to a huge chile handbook. There are recipes, event info and a lot of chile facts. Some of which I thought quite interesting:

Did you know...?

• Chiles are healthy! They are low in sodium and calories and are cholesterol free. Chilis are a good source of vitamins A, B, C, and E, folic acid, and potassium.

• Eating chiles can help with digestion. The capsaicin in chiles increases gastric secretions and the flow of saliva, combining to ease the digestion process.

• In 2007, salsa surpassed ketchup as the most widely used condiment in the United States.

• A Chile’s heat or intensity is commonly, but incorrectly, said to come from the seeds in the chili. The heat actually comes from capsaicinoids - the combination of capsaicin (the active component of a chile) and a few other related chemicals - that is found along placental tissue in the center of the chile where the seeds are found.

• The color of a chili pepper actually has nothing to do with its heat level. Rather, the color typically signifies the maturity of the fruit.

• Birds are not affected by the heat or pungency of capsaicin because they do not have a receptor to detect it. This allows capsicum plant seeds to be dispersed through avian travel.

Palomitas o Popcorn

We usually eat dinner between 9 and 10pm. My parents always give us a hard time because we eat dinner so late. I could say it's because we don't have kids so we can prepare dinner at our leisure. This is true. But I think the real reason is because we are snackers. We probably have the snacking thing backwards, but it works for us. For example, most of my family and friends prepare dinner when they get home from work, and then snack later in the evening. We, on the other hand snack immediately upon arrival to the house, then head to the grocery store to buy our ingredients for dinner that night.

Our snack, 99% of the time, is either salsa or popcorn.

Not just any popcorn. Spicy popcorn. Because everything has to be spicy according to Neto. My brother Tim, who is also crazy about spicy food, shared this recipe with us years ago.

With the invention of microwave popcorn, you may never have even made popcorn the "traditional" way. But trust me, it is worth the 5 extra minutes (and more healthy too)!

Pepper Popcorn

1Tbsp canola oil

2-3 hot peppers

Leave on high heat until charred.

Add 3/4 cup popcorn

Shake pan every 30 seconds until pan is full

Snack then dinner. I think it makes sense. What time do you guys eat dinner?

Ligia's Flautas

En la Cocina con.....Ligia Espinoza (my Mother-in-law o mi suegra)

This summer we have been lucky enough to spend a couple months living in San Diego with my in-laws. Some of you may cringe at the thought of this, but I kid you not, I love mis suegras. From Day 1 (almost 10 years ago) they made me feel like their daughter. They are so wonderful.

Living with them, I can fool myself that I am really in Mexico. Family is constantly in and out of the house, we always speak Spanish, and the food is authentic Mexican. I have been eating mi suegra's food for years, but to be in the kitchen with her has been a real treat. Last night she asked what I would like to cook. I was craving flautas. I mean taquitos.

Hmmm. Are they flautas or a taquitos?

You can call them either name depending on your location. Some say the difference is if they are made with corn tortillas (taquitos) or with Flour tortillas (flautas) My mother-in-law calls them flautas, and I'm going to stick with that. When it comes to Mexican food, she knows what she is talking about. Flautas means "flutes" in Spanish and this is what they look like, right?

They are easy and the finished product is like a piece of art.

Ligia's Flautas

You will need to start with:

The freshest corn tortillas you can buy.**

(**In San Diego this is easily done. Fresh tortillas are sold everywhere. In Canton, Ohio where my parents live - not so easy. You may need to try several packaged brands to find the best.)

The stuffing for the flautas could be several things. Usually pork, chicken, or beef.

Mi suegra used shredded beef. (In the store labeled as "roast.") Boiled until cooked through and then shredded. Add salt.

In a frying pan add 1/2 inch vegetable oil and heat on high.

Place some shredded beef in a line down the middle of the tortilla.

Roll it. Fry until golden. (see pic above) Repeat.

The pure deliciousness of this dish comes in the toppings.

Chopped iceburg lettuce

Sour cream

Red vinegar onions (sliced and soaked in white or apple cider vinegar, salt & pepperfor at least 30 minutes)

Salsa Navarro (roasted salsa with oregano-recipe here)

Queso fresco (crumbled white cheese, sold in most stores in Mexican isle)

Plate 4 or so flautas, pile with toppings and enjoy! Refill plate. Oh, yes you will!

Salsa Navarro

Yes, another salsa! I told you we are salsa fanatics in our house. Besides being delicious, this salsa is really special. It is from the kitchen of Neto's Abuela Navarro. It is mostly used with flautas or tostadas, but I can devour a bowl of it with some chips. What makes this so different is one key ingredient: oregano.

Salsa Navarro

6 roma tomatoes

3-4 chiles gueritos  (hot yellow chiles)  Use green if you can't find yellow

1 clove garlic

Pinch of oregano

salt to taste

The process is the same of the salsa roja. Roast the tomatoes and peppers until charred all around.
Throw all into blender, add pinch of oregano and salt to taste, serve warm.

Serve with flautas or tostadas.

Salsa Roja

I thought it appropriate that my first post be with a roasted red salsa. This salsa is a staple in our house. We make it at least 2 times per week -either for a snack, or to go with a meal. We hardly ever have leftovers, I guess you could say it is addicting.

The heat in this recipe can be adjusted to your taste. We usually add one less pepper than there are tomatoes. You may want to start with one or two. Deseeding the peppers will majorly decrease the amount of heat, and keep the chiles' flavor.

A suggestion: We use Roma tomatoes as they are not as juicy as the bigger varieties, so it doesn't yield a runny salsa. Also they are quicker to roast.

Roasted Red Salsa

6-7 roma tomatoes

5-6 jalepeños or 4 serrano peppers (stems cut off)

Handful of cilantro

Salt to taste

Place tomatoes and peppers in frying pan on high heat and turn tomatoes and peppers until sides are charred.

Three turns will do it. (I always put a sheet of aluminum foil down for less clean-up) Place in a blender with cilantro and salt to taste. Pulse until desired consistency.

Easiest. Recipe. Ever.

Although it will keep in the fridge for about about 4 days, I love to eat it immediately, it's the best when warm. I can devour a bowl it myself with chips. It is also great on tacos and burritos.

Funny enough, I have never bought jar salsa again. You probably won't either after you taste this.

Bienvenidos a VLC

Yes. It is time. Time to start my food blog. I have been so excited to get started. I had the idea for Viva la Cocina over 6 months ago, but I was living in Costa Rica, in a furnished apartment [read: ill equipt kitchen] for the last year. We still cooked a lot, but had a hard time finding many ingredients. I kept busy reading other food blogs that I love. Bread & Honey is the blog that first inspired me to start Viva la Cocina.

My husband Ernesto and I moved to Costa Rica in June 2008 so I could volunteer for Habitat for Humanity at their Latin America headquarters. One of the best things I have ever done. It was a year of beautiful experiences. Habitat is a great non-profit helping people all over the world, and I know I will continue to support them. Exploring Costa Rica and the surrounding countries was icing on the cake. (all documented on my non-food blog Viva Cindy)

Before leaving for Costa Rica, we sold our home in Atlanta where we had been living for 8 years. I worked for Delta Airlines and Ernesto worked in Insurance. Usually Ernesto would email me a recipe while I was at work. We would meet at the grocery store afterwards and buy the ingredients, go home, snack and end up eating about 9 or 10pm. Cooking has been our hobby together since we met back in 1999.

Since we were homeless [and jobless] upon our return from Costa Rica in June, we decided to spend the summer with our families. Two weeks in Canton, OH and two months in San Diego, CA. We had a great time with my family in Ohio, and our summer in sunny San Diego has been fabuloso!

Ernesto's mom is a wonderful cook and loves sharing her recipes. Most are family recipes passed down from her mother. Luckily Ernesto's mom passed down these recipes to him back in his college years and has been cooking for me (and many friends) ever since. I'm a lucky girl indeed!

Cooking and discovering delicious food is our hobby. I think we are called foodies.

We will be taking off for Mexico in mid-August for a food exploration adventure. I will be sharing everything here on Viva la Cocina and my non-food blog Viva Cindy if you are interested in following along, I would love to have you!

I hope you enjoy!