No, Bobby Flay doesn’t have a tattoo of a chile pepper on his biceps. But who could fault him if he did? The guy has made a killing with the hot stuff. So do what he says:
Jalapeños Are Not the Only Chiles
“Want to branch out from jalapeños? Try poblanos. They’ve got a peppery back-note but won’t burn your mouth. Just roast them, peel them, and seed them. Then chop them up for a chile cheeseburger, stuff them with scrambled eggs for brunch, or use them for chile rellenos.”
“The general rule,” says Flay, “is the bigger the chile, the less heat it has.”
Flay's New Fave
“My new favorite ingredient? Calabrian chiles. I learned about them from Esca’s Dave Pasternack while eating at Il Pesce, his seafood restaurant in Eataly. I use them on everything now. It’s a way to bring heat without using ancho chiles all the time.”
Get the Recipe: Calabrian Chile Oil
Hit the Sweet Spot
Flay has made a career enhancing his savory, Southwestern-spirited food with a sweet accent. “For dishes with big, strong flavors like chiles and garlic, I like to add a little honey, maple syrup, or fruit purée,” he says. “Not to make them sweet, but to balance things out. It’s like with mustard greens: They have a strong mustardy flavor; they need contrast. The opposite is honey. Honey and mustard go together.”
