Disabled food writer Jacqueline Raposo once penned so many interview-based features, event reviews, and ingredient stories for Serious Eats that her editors titled her their Chef Whisperer. Now, she features American war veterans, disabled hospitality folk, and chefs doing good for print and podcast clients including iHeartRadio,Welcome back to Hey Chef, a series where we ask pros around the country for tips on how to use ingredients we love. Today: Sichuan peppercorns.
I candy walnuts and toss them with Sichuan peppercorns, and a little salt and sugar mixture. You take these really crunchy, crispy, nutty walnuts that are already compelling on their own, and then add an even more craveable element with the peppercorns.Chicago's chef Jonathan Zaragoza makes classic Mexican cuisine that we can't get enough of.
Infuse them in honey. Barely heat up honey , add some Sichuan peppercorns, and bring it up to almost a simmer, turn it off, let it sit for half an hour, then strain it out and drizzle it over fried chicken. I've done it on lamb and sweet potatoes, too. They have that little bit of numbing sensation, but it's not that spicy, so if you're a wuss for spice it's not going to blow your brains out.