The meaning of grilling varies according to where you happen to be in the world.
Grilling is often used as a synonym for broiling, though in the United States when we use the verb "to grill," we technically mean that the food is cooked over a direct heat source. Broiling is a cooking method in which food is cooked directly under a high heat source. (Barbecuing generally refers to cooking food over indirect heat.)
To confuse matters, our British and Australian friends refer to what we call broiling as grilling; hence the term "grilled cheese," which in the UK is generally made open-faced and heated under a broiler, not fried in a pan in the American fashion.
Recipe: Grilled Chili-Cumin Pork Tenderloin (Cookthink)
Recipe: Grilled Eggplant (Cookthink)
Grilling with charcoal takes a little more effort than grilling on a gas grill, but it's worth it. This technique adds flavor to whatever you're grilling, especially if you add smoked wood chips to the mix. Watch this video by Handmade TV to learn how to cook with both direct and indirect heat using a charcoal grill.
Salsa means sauce in Spanish, Italian and Arabic. But when people say salsa in America, they are generally referring to a fresh or cooked sauce used as an accompaniment to Mexican cuisine that ranges from mild to red-hot.
Salsa can be red or green and may contain tomatoes, tomatillos, onions, chiles, cilantro, lime juice and other ingredients. It can be used as a dip for tortilla chips or as a garnish for tacos, burritos, enchiladas, tostadas and other Mexican dishes. It is often paired with guacamole and sour cream.
A tomatillo is a fruit that belongs to the same poetically titled "nightshade" family as the tomato. Also called a "Mexican green tomato," it does look like a small green tomato with a papery husk in place of skin. But it has a tart flavor all its own.
A key ingredient in Mexican and Latin American dishes such as guacamole and salsa verde, the tomatillo's flavor is deepened by cooking.
While tomatillos can also be purchased canned, fresh, ripe tomatillos will keep in the refrigerator for about two weeks (or can be frozen). Tomatillos turn yellow as they continue to ripen, but should be used while still green in order to take advantage of their tart flavor.
Why are some jalapenos hotter than others?
Why are some jalapenos hotter than others?
When it comes to peppers, being beautiful and popular does not make one hot. To wit, the year-round demand for prettier jalapenos has compromised some of the pepper's hotness.
To meet the demand, jalapeno breeding has promoted varieties that are flawlessly pretty, easy to ship and easier to grow in cooler climates. Jalapenos used to be grown mostly in the high deserts of New Mexico, Arizona, and Northern Chihuahua and Sonora, Mexico. Hot, dry climates promote the production of capsaicin, the chemical that makes a hot pepper hot. Now, some varieties can be grown in wetter, cooler climates that don’t create enough heat for a spicy chile pepper.
If you like a hot jalapeno, look for Biker Billy, Early and Mitla varieties. For a milder version, try Delicas or Tam.
Recipe: Mexican Pilaf With Cumin And Jalapeno (Cookthink)
Reference: Help! I ate a hot pepper! (Cookthink)
Reference: How to seed a chile pepper (Cookthink)
