Hot Peppers

Okay, so I found this recipe on the food network from the Emeril Live show. It looked AWESOME so I decided to try it out. The recipe calls for "habanero" peppers... and it seems that I know NOTHING about peppers. So I went to the store and bought some and thought, "hmmm, I wonder if they're hot"... so I cut them up and after I finished, I kept smelling them and couldn't detect any sign that they were spicy. So I licked my finger, just to see... ummm... yeah, so I had to put my tongue under the faucet with cold water running for about 10 minutes! I felt really dumb. And, as an added bonus, my fingertips have been burning ever since (it's been 2 days!). So, the moral of this story? Habanero peppers are REALLY HOT and you should wear protective gloves when you're chopping them.

p.s. I only added about 1/2 of the habaneros that the recipe called for and it was plenty hot for me (I'm a bit wimpy, though)... but the recipe itself is AWESOME!!! Try it!

Bayou Chicken Pasta

Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, 2006
Show: Emeril Live
Episode: Emeril's Island Favorites

1 pound linguine

1/4 cup kosher salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 tablespoons Emeril's Bayou Blast Essence
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 cup finely chopped yellow onion
1 tablespoon finely chopped habanero pepper
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 cup diced tomatoes
1/2 cup reserved pasta cooking water
1/2 cup chopped green onion tops
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

Set a large 1-gallon stock pot of water to a boil and add the kosher salt. Place the linguine in the pot and stir until the water returns to a boil. Cook the pasta until tender, but with a bit of resistance (al dente), about 12 minutes.
While the pasta cooks, prepare the sauce. Set a 12-inch saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the butter and olive oil to the pan. Once the butter has melted, season the chicken with 1 tablespoon of the Essence and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and add the chicken to the pan. Sear the chicken until well browned on both sides, about 2 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside. Add the onions and habaneros to the pan and saute until the onions are softened and lightly caramelized, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic to the pan and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the cream, remaining 1 tablespoon of Essence, remaining 1 teaspoon of salt, and the chicken to the pan and bring to a boil. Cook the sauce until the cream is reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, linguine and the reserved cooking water to the pan and cook, tossing to incorporate for 3 to 5 minutes. Remove pan from the heat and add the green onions, Parmesan and parsley and toss to blend. Serve immediately.