Marlboro's Red Pepper Paste

If you didn't know it, Marlboro makes cookbooks.  And if you were wondering, the recipes in the cookbooks are incredible.  The food is of a rustic nature:  sourdough biscuits, planked sirloins, beef jerky, chili, etc.  We've got three different books (Fifty From the Trail, Morning Fires and Evening Lights, and Cook Like a Man) and I have yet to find a recipe anything less than scrumptious.  I mean really.

Now as to how you would procure one, I have no idea.  Once upon a time one or both of the adults in our house may or may not have been mild to moderate occasional sometimes smokers.  Anyway, we used to be on Marlboro's mailing list and they would send us stuff occasionally.  That's how we ended up with these.

P.S.  I don't advocate smoking!  Quitting is a real bitch, but it's totally worth it.

Anyway I want to share a recipe with you.  I'm thinking that most of Marlboro's profits don't come from their recipes, so I doubt they'll mind too much if I share.  Here's hoping, anyway.

Unfortunately I have no photos of this!  I'll update this post the next time I make some.  This recipe is ideal for summertime, when bell peppers and jalapenos are plentiful.



Pepper Paste
-8 red finger chili peppers (I used jalapenos)
Boiling water
-1 bell pepper (I used yellow)
-2 cloves garlic, crushed
-1 tsp. cumin seed
-1 tsp. dried oregano
-1 tsp. paprika
-1 tsp. salt
-2 tbsp white vinegar
-2 tbsp olive oil
-1 to 1 1/2 cups cubed sourdough or firm Italian bread, crust removed (I used whatever was laying around)

1.  Pour boiling water over chili peppers; let fresh chili peppers stand 1 minute; drain.  Cool under cold water.  Remove stems, seeds and membrane; chop.

2.  Chop bell pepper.  Grind or puree chili peppers and bell pepper with garlic, cumin seed, oregano, paprika and salt.  When pulverized, add vinegar and oil.

3.  Add bread a few pieces at a time; mix until bread softens and blends in.  Store in refrigerator for up to a week or freeze for later use.

Habanero Paste- use 4-5 habaneros and a red bell pepper.

Surprisingly the paste is not very hot.  I mean of course it has a little heat, but to be made of jalapenos or habaneros, you'd think it would burn you alive.   It's actually delicious by itself, spread on a cracker. You can also add it to mayo to make aioli, or to your blue cheese to make a great veggie dip!  Smear it on some corn on the cob to grill.  Use it like a southwestern bouillon cube for soups and chilis.  We even put it directly in our tacos and such.  The flavor is a suckerpunch to the teeth!  In the best way possible of course...

I split mine in half and put one jar directly in the freezer so that it will be available anytime I want it.