French food is many things, but spicy it is not. Whether this is an issue depends on perspective, but one thing many English-speaking expats in France crave on their plates is a chilli or two.
If this sounds relatable, fear not. You will find chillies and spicy foods in the French kitchen arsenal if you know where to look.
The first direction is southwest, in French Basque country, home to a fine native chilli pepper: piment d’Espelette.
In my humble opinion, as a native Californian, this is one of the best chillies around – in any country – because it has a wonderful subtle, fruity-hot flavour without mouth-numbing chilli heat. I use the dried, ground form of this spice daily in my kitchen, instead of black pepper even, and jars are readily available in most supermarkets all over France.
It is a chilli, however, and the heat it lends to a dish will increase with the amount, so use it moderately as an interesting black pepper replacement and generously for a spicier kick.
To give you an idea of heat, piment d’Espelette scores between 1,500-2,500 units on the Scoville scale (a system to measure chilli heat), paprika tends towards a 500 scoring, Jalapeño peppers range between 2,500-10,000 while Cayenne pepper is between 30,000-50,000 units.
Dried ground Cayenne is widely available in France, so if you are an avid chilli consumer, keep this on hand, even if it is not something you normally cook with in your native country. If, for example, you are accustomed to adding hot pepper flakes to a dish to spice it up, ground Cayenne will achieve virtually the same thing minus the visual effect of chilli bits.
Finding fresh chillies can present a challenge. Seasonality is key here and the chilli season runs parallel to that of tomatoes, aubergines and bell peppers, so late summer to autumn. Large supermarkets may have them, and local greengrocers are worth checking too; you might be able to request a special order.
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Additionally, I have success finding them at markets in the southwest, in season, and particularly when I shop with suppliers who cater to their North African customers.
Asian restaurants can also be good sources. Remember to specify piment fort or piquant (the spicy kind), as simply asking for piment usually means sweet pepper (piment doux).
Fresh chillies can be dried for grinding into powder, or frozen whole or chopped for use year-round, so when you find a source it is worthwhile buying in bulk.
Another option is to grow your own. Many chillies grow well in pots and in the border, and springtime is perfect for planting. Small plants ready for planting out can be found in the herb section of large garden centres, and many specialist chilli plant nurseries have stalls on markets during the growing season.
Harissa: the hot chilli paste
If you are after a chilli paste, look no further than harissa. This spicy Tunisian condiment is readily available all over France, in both large and small shops and is not considered an exotic item like it might be in other countries.
Harissa is a mixture made from chillies, herbs and spices, including cumin, coriander seeds and fresh leaves, garlic, olive oil, and sometimes even caraway seeds and mint. The recipe varies, like any spice mixture, but it is always hot and spicy.
Le Phare du Cap Bon is perhaps the most well-known brand, both in France and internationally, but some fine artisanal harissa versions are available. Ottolenghi has his own, as does Marseille-native William Lellouche, who developed the brand Tava Hada Pilpelta. Lellouche’s mission is to spice things up and encourage people to add harissa to everything. Chilli lovers, in particular, will appreciate his approach to cooking and his range of products.
Traditionally harissa is used as a table condiment, to accompany couscous, or as a spread like mustard. It makes an excellent addition to marinades, salad dressings and mayonnaise when you want a bit more kick.
Thanks to chefs like Ottolenghi, harissa has found its place in many a recipe. His books and website are good places to start if you want ideas for cooking with harissa.
Cooking with Piment d’Espelette
A traditional Basque stew: Boles de picolat
In a bowl, mix 800 g mince from beef, veal or pork, (at least a combination of two) with:
an egg,
a few minced garlic cloves,
4 tbsp breadcrumbs,
4 tbsp milk,
½ tsp cinnamon,
1 tsp piment d’Espelette,
1½ tsp salt and
a handful of chopped fresh parsley.
Form golf-ball size meatballs and bake at 180°C until browned, about 20 minutes.
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Meanwhile, for the sauce, brown one sliced onion and 100g chopped lardons in some oil. Stir in 1 tsp piment d’Espelette, ½ tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp salt then add a 400g tin of chopped tomatoes and 300ml water or wine. Boil, then let simmer 15 minutes.
Tip in the meatballs and any pan juices plus 150g pitted green olives and a 400g tin haricot beans, drained. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve immediately, or refrigerate; it’s even better the next day.
