Manzano Chili

[CraigC]

Found a new Mexican grocery. I needed some Achiote paste so we stopped to check it out. Yesterday I watched an episode of Pati's Mexican Table where she made a halibut dish using 5 peppers. One of which was a yellow chili pepper called a Manzano. I'd never seen these before. Wouldn't you know it, guess what I found in their produce section?

On the Scoville Scale they are between 12,000 to 30,000 units. Hotter than a serrano. They are also called The Apple Chili. My first use of this chili will be in a Pico de Gallo for our tacos this week.

 

[Morning Glory]

Same annatto paste as I have! My guess is that the main 'spice' (really a herb) added to the Achiote paste is Epazote. I've been growing this since you mentioned it, @CraigC and it has that inimitable taste. I have learned that annatto in its naked state is very neutral.

The chillies I've not come across. But hey! If they are hotter than serrano I know I want them.

 

[medtran49]

One of the sites I looked at said they were generally grown at a higher altitude in cooler weather. So, either that's not true or they import them or grow them in air conditioned green houses here because it's been in high 80s to mid 90s for weeks now. I would think you could grow them in the summer. I think they probably imported them because they were $5.99 a pound, which is pretty pricey for chiles.

They had several interesting looking things in the produce section, including lovely fresh looking nopales and aloe leaves (I guess that's what you would call them). A couple of other things I didn't recognize either.

 

[CraigC]

Time to get more of these! I'm going to try making a flavored "Crema" with these. I also need to get some dried chilis to make a few Thia curry pastes.