10,000 pepper recipes

Homemade Thai curry spice paste with dried red chilies, coriander, garlic, shallots, anchovy, and lemon zest. Keeps two months in the fridge for quick weeknight curries.

Pottsfield pickles, a sweet-spiced relish of green and red tomatoes, onions, peppers, and celery in a cinnamon-clove brine. End-of-season Appalachian classic for the cellar.

Grandma's sweet pickled beets made with canned whole beets in a vinegar-sugar brine. Only 5 ingredients, ready to jar in 20 minutes. Let them sit a few days and serve cold.

Garlicky stuffed steak with a garlic, red pepper, and herbed bread crumb filling butterflied into a thick round steak, tied, coated in more bread crumbs, and roasted. A show-stopping beef roast for a special dinner.

Smoked sausage and lentil gumbo with a dark roux, celery, onion, carrots, and cayenne. A hearty, protein-packed Cajun-style soup where lentils stand in for okra with rich, smoky depth.

Cajun shrimp pasta with linguine tossed in a slow-simmered tomato sauce spiked with cayenne, thyme, Worcestershire, and hot sauce, finished with Parmesan.

Sweet and sour shrimp tossed in a fresh stone-fruit sauce of pureed nectarines, plums, apricot preserves, Dijon mustard, lemon, and a hit of red pepper flakes. Bright, tangy, and unlike any takeout version.

Classic chicken salad with crunchy salted almonds, celery, and green pepper in a light mayo dressing. A make-ahead lunch for sandwiches, crackers, or a bed of lettuce.

Upgraded ramen noodles stir-fried with cabbage, bell pepper, onion, and diced ham or Spam with red pepper flakes. A budget-friendly, filling dinner that turns instant noodle packets into a real meal.

Indiana farm sausage is a homemade country breakfast sausage seasoned with sage, marjoram, thyme, and a kick of chili. Shape into logs or marble-sized balls for easy freezing.

Spicy and tasty! If you don't like spicy food, reduce the amount of chili flakes and hot chili peppers to your own taste.

Cajun tofu simmered in a spicy roux-based tomato sauce with bell peppers, onion, celery, and bay leaves. Vegetarian, protein-packed, and served over steamed rice with fresh parsley.

Lightning-fast bay scallop saute with tri-color bell peppers, garlic, white wine, fresh basil, and toasted pine nuts over pasta. A low-calorie seafood dinner that's on the table in 20 minutes.

Grilled lobster basted in basil butter served with a warm chanterelle, corn, and bacon salad with frisee and sherry vinegar. A stunning summer seafood main course.

Fish mulligan stew with haddock, potatoes, carrots, tomatoes, and bacon in a one-pot broth seasoned with celery seed. A hearty New England-style fish chowder that doubles easily for a crowd.

Spinach mousse made with blanched fresh spinach, egg whites and a drizzle of heavy cream, finished with a pinch of nutmeg. Cold, silky, no-cook starter for a French or Creole table.