Story and Photos by Harald Zoschke Calabria — that’s the southern tip of the Italian boot, and also in chile terms, that’s one of Europe’s hottest spots. As every year since 1992, chileheads gather here early September at the Peperoncino Festival in Diamante. Peperoncini is Italian for hot chiles. Our comprehensive Calabria coverage reports in detail about Calabria, its chile …
A Winning Sauce
Hey Doc, I have been cooking bbq for about ten years. Last year I started cooking in some competitions, contests that have about 30 to 40 cookers. I seem to always finish between 15 and 25. I really would appreciate some help. Since I don’t have a lot of money I usually cook close to home at the smaller …
Enraged Pasta (Penne all Arrabiata)
Of all the spicy Calabrian dishes, this one is probably the best known. Feel free to increase the heat scale by adding more peperoncini.
Ingredients
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2 tablespoons olive oil
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2 to 3 medium onions, chopped
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2 to 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
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2 small chile pods, red, hot (Thai , Serrano or Birdseye), seeds and stems removed, finely chopped
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2 14-ounce cans chopped tomatoes, for example Progresso
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1 pound Penne Rigate pasta
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3 ½ ounces Parmesan cheese, grated
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Pinch of sugar, salt
Instructions
In a pan, heat the olive oil over low heat. Add the onions, garlic, and chile and cook until the onions are golden brown. Add the tomatoes and cook, uncovered, for about 15 minutes over low to medium heat.
Meanwhile cook the pasta “al dente” in lightly salted water, according to instructions on the package. Grate the parmesan cheese and stir half of it into the sauce. Season with salt and sugar to taste. Drain the pasta well, mix thoroughly with the sauce, and sprinkle with the remaining parmesan cheese.
Serve piping hot.
Skewered Spiced Peruvian Beef and Chicken (Anticuchos)
These are the famous Peruvian appetizers, sold by street vendors, and grilled to order. The customers just eat the beef right off the stick. Traditionally they are made with beef heart, but we like to use more tender and flavorful cuts of beef, plus chicken. With the highly acidic marinade, you can use tougher cuts if you marinate them longer. The chiles of choice here would be the native ají chiles, but virtually any small, hot fresh chiles can be used. Serve wrapped in a corn or flour tortilla. You can also serve the anticuchos as an entree with escalloped potatoes and green beans. Note: This recipe requires advance preparation.
Ingredients
Simmer the cumin seeds in the oil for 5 minutes. Strain the oil and discard the seeds.
Combine with all the remaining marinade ingredients in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Toss the meat and chicken in the marinade, place in a nonreactive bowl, cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, and longer for tougher cuts of meat.
Thread the meat on skewers and bring to room temperature. Simmer the marinade for 20 minutes over low heat. Grill the beef over medium-hot fire, basting frequently with the marinade for about 4 minutes a side, until the beef is done. Cut a sample to check for doneness. Serve over greens with your favorite dipping sauces.
Instructions
Doug’s Blackened Conch
I’m winging it here, as Doug Gibson, of course, had no written recipe. I watched carefully but am guesstimating the ingredient amounts. But what the hell, he was cooking on the beach! The conch does not burn, it just turns quite dark because of the seasoning.
Ingredients
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1/4 cup vegetable oil
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1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
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1 onion, minced
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½ green bell pepper, finely diced
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2 tablespoons commercial blackening seasoning
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1 goat pepper (habanero) seeds and stems removed, minced
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½ teaspoon sea salt
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1/4 teaspoon black pepper
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2 conchs, pounded flat and cut in half
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Lime quarters for garnish
Instructions
In a large skillet, heat the vegetable oil until hot and add the rosemary, onion, and bell pepper and saute for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the blackening seasoning, goat pepper, sea salt, and black pepper and saute for 2 more minutes. Add the conch pieces, 2 at a time, and cook over high heat until they turn dark, about 2 or 3 minutes per side. Remove and serve garnished with lime quarters.