I posted not too long ago about creating a dish out of what was available. It was a kind of stir fry. We’ve created variations of it depending on what was available. So far the meat of choice has remained chicken. However, the vegetables and seasoning vary. We’ve used scallions in place of onions, added shredded carrot to the mix, and used a Mrs. Dash marinade (garlic and herb) along with the butter for the sauce.
One night we had a fail. Well, Old Rooster liked it, but PhatHen didn’t. Old Rooster likes jalapenos, a lot!!! PhatHen likes them in moderation. So, one night Old Rooster decides he’ll cook out new favorite dish. He’s a good cook, learned at his mother’s knee. It smelled so good; he used carrots, and scallions, and Mrs. Dash, and jalapenos. Just like before. Except….. got a little heavy handed on the jalapenos. And he failed to remove the seeds. Its the seeds that make the pepper so brutal; if you just want the flavoring and gentle “bite” of jalapeno, you remove the seeds. After he plated it, he could tell by my expression from the first bite that it was far too hot for me. I did my best to eat it. After all, he has graciously eaten my failures. But, as I told him, all I could taste was the jalapeno and every bite hurt. My mouth was on fire. Food should not hurt. Food nourishes and pleases.
This will not stop us from using jalapenos or any other pepper. We just got reminded that while the meal before with jalapeno was great, the next could be unpleasant. Jalapenos and other peppers are not always the same. The heat in each pepper varies from pepper to pepper. So, again, use different seasonings and vegetables and herbs, just be aware that fresh items vary in their flavor, and you must constantly taste as you are cooking to measure what is needed and what is not.
Squash and tomato are on the list for next trial
PhatHen 