Chile

Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are reprinted with permission from Gameday Gourmet by Pableaux Johnson.

In Korean kitchens, spicy kimchi (fermented cabbage) is used in all sorts of things, including savory pancakes. This recipe tempers its garlicky heat with mellow sweet potatoes.

Dried guajillo chiles and New Mexico chiles can be found in some supermarkets and at specialty foods stores and Latin markets.

A cold-weather favorite, this all-beef, no-bean chili gets added appeal from a seasonal ingredient: butternut squash. For best results, make the chili at least one day ahead so that the flavors have time to meld.

If you've got the grill going anyway, toss your ears on before you butter them to get a quick char and even deeper flavor.

The squid in this entrée is tender and picks up the flavors it's cooked with.

We love the games this soup plays with our senses: First, its fiery color tricks your brain into thinking it is hot, but when you take a sip, your tongue realizes the soup is cold. Then the spice of the habaneros sweeps in and deliciously complicates matters. Don't be alarmed by the number of chiles called for—habaneros' heat is complex and floral and partners perfectly with the sweetness of the red bell peppers.

This deeply flavored sauce is part barbecue sauce, part red-wine reduction.

Ancho chile powder gives the meat its southwestern flavor. Chef Purviance suggests serving the brisket with southwestern-style coleslaw (sliced cabbage, jicama, and red onions tossed in a red-wine vinaigrette) and black beans with corn, tomatoes, and chiles. Leftovers would make great sandwiches.

In this side dish, the vegetables are dressed in a classic red wine vinaigrette. Chiles add smoky heat.

Cedar-plank cooking infuses the shrimp with a delicious smokiness. Use leftover chipotles in flavored butter, guacamole, and vinaigrettes.

This Mexican take on gazpacho has a little bit of crunch, thanks to pepitas (pumpkin seeds).

In Guadalajara, this is not an uncommon breakfast, served with warm tortillas and sometimes rice and beans—since it is tequila country, we can only imagine that it's probably an excellent hangover remedy—but it's definitely flavorful enough to be a big hit at dinnertime, too. We particularly like the richness and suppleness of skirt steak, but any cut of beef with a pronounced grain, like flank or brisket, will do.

Asian flavors add some heat to the classic French dish moules marinières.

In Chalcatongo, Jiménez purchases pit-roasted lamb, then warms up the meat in a simple tomatillo sauce rich with the earthy zing of costeño rojo chiles. On this side of the border, you'll have to cook your meat first, but our adaptation (we slow-roast it) couldn't be easier.

The tropical relish that tops these chops is a nod to the Caribbean climes and palm-tree breezes that are the stuff Jimmy Buffett songs are practically made of—a veritable paradise in this dish for two.

Xiao Fan's spicy sauce will transform not only this steamed chicken but also plain rice, noodles, tofu, even grilled steak. The sauce can be doubled and leftovers chilled for a week. To reheat, add a bit of broth or water and simmer for about a minute.

If using dried shrimp, grind to a powder in an electric coffee/spice grinder or use mortar and pestle. Seasoning paste can be made ahead and chilled, covered, up to 1 week or frozen 1 month.

Wear gloves when working with super-hot chiles like habaneros.

Wear gloves when working with chiles.