More than two years into a hot streak, the sweet and spicy food trend shows no sign of stopping. The flavor mash-up even has a cheeky portmanteau: swicy.
Asian and Mexican cuisines have long teamed sweet and spicy flavors with delicious results. Now the complex flavor duo has hit the American mainstream, spreading from chef-driven restaurants to the snack aisle at supermarkets.
Some sweet and spicy dishes at Dallas restaurants can be easily improvised in your kitchen. The “Honey Bastard” pizza at Thunderbird Pies teams spicy soppressata with sweet bacon marmalade and fiery, habanero-infused honey. But home cooks can drizzle store-bought or homemade hot honey over pepperoni, prosciutto or bacon-topped pizza — whether homemade, frozen or delivered.
Roots Southern Kitchen’s addictive pimento cheese toast is topped with house-made pepper jelly and chow chow; store-bought versions of these toppings work nicely, too.
You can also replicate some restaurant charcuterie and cheese boards by including a spicy jam, mostarda or honey to complement the savory bites. And popular brand Mike’s Hot Honey is drizzled on everything from pies at local Hustle Town Pizza pop-ups to the “fried charcuterie board” at the State Fair of Texas.
All around Dallas, you’ll find mass market evidence of swicy’s sway: a profusion of Nashville and Korean hot chicken chain outposts; sweet and spicy nuts, Doritos and even breakfast cereal (CinnaFuego Toast Crunch anyone?) at grocery stores; and at specialty markets, bottled hot honey for enlivening roasted veggies, chicken and biscuits, and more.
Read on for recipes buoyed by sweet and spicy flavors, plus a simple, customizable hot honey recipe — and 10 ways to use it.
Tina Danze is a Dallas freelance writer. Follow her on Instagram at @tinawineandfood.
Peaches with Burrata and Hot Honey
4 ripe peaches
Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Coarse salt, to taste
½ small lemon
8 ounces burrata (can be two 4-ounce balls)
Simple Hot Honey, to taste (recipe follows)
5 tablespoons fresh basil or mint leaves (or a combination of the two), torn or sliced
Grilled artisan bread
Slice peaches into eighths; taste, and if they are very sweet and juicy, proceed to next step; if not, pan roast them in a hot, liberally oiled, large skillet, turning once, until they begin to caramelize.
Transfer peaches to a serving platter and squeeze lemon juice evenly over them. Sprinkle with salt to taste. Nestle burrata into the center of the peaches. If you did not cook the peaches, drizzle lightly with olive oil. Drizzle peaches with 2 tablespoons hot honey. Scatter herbs over peaches. Serve with grilled bread and additional honey on the side.
Makes 6 servings.
Source: Tina Danze
Spicy-Sweet Baked Salmon
4 (6-ounce) skin-on salmon filets, preferably 1-inch thick
7 tablespoons honey
1 ½ teaspoons dried chile flakes
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 ½ tablespoons soy sauce
Olive oil for coating
Kosher salt to taste
Cilantro or chopped green onion for garnish (optional)
Lime wedges and steamed rice for serving
Remove salmon from refrigerator 10 minutes before cooking. Heat oven to 400 degrees F.
Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine honey, chile flakes, lime juice and soy sauce. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer very gently for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.
Line bottom and sides of a 9-by-12-inch baking pan or rimmed baking sheet with foil, for easy clean-up. Lightly film the foil with oil.
Using paper towels, blot salmon filets dry. Arrange skin-side down in prepared baking pan. Using a brush (or your fingers), rub the surface of each filet with a little oil. Season with kosher salt. Spoon or brush cooled glaze evenly on top of the filets.
Roast for 6 minutes (3 to 4 minutes if they are thinner than 1 inch), then remove from oven and baste filets with the glaze that accumulates in the pan. Return to oven and bake until fish flakes easily and is still pink in the center, for medium doneness (another 6 minutes for a 1-inch thick filet, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part reads 125-130 degrees F). Thinner filets will cook quickly. Serve with rice and lime wedges. Drizzle remaining glaze over the salmon and garnish with cilantro or green onion, if using.
Makes 4 servings.
Source: Tina Danze
Spicy Melon Salad
1 teaspoon grated lime zest
¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice (about 2 limes)
4 teaspoons honey
1 ¼ teaspoons finely grated ginger root
1 teaspoon sambal oelek (Thai red chili paste)
6 to 7 cups mixed melons (any combination of honeydew, cantaloupe and watermelon), cut into 1-inch pieces
2 tablespoons torn fresh basil or mint leaves
Combine lime zest, lime juice, honey, ginger and sambal/chile paste. Whisk until well incorporated. Set aside (may be prepared ahead of time and refrigerated, covered, in a glass jar or bowl). Place melon pieces in a large serving bowl. Just before serving, toss with dressing and top with the mint or basil.
Makes 6 servings.
Source: Adapted from Mary Kimbrough by Tina Danze
Easy homemade hot honey — and 10 great ways to use it
Store-bought hot honey is nearly twice the price of plain honey, but it’s a cinch to make in just a few minutes. Besides saving you money, there’s a huge advantage to making your own: You can customize the spiciness. If you find your batch too spicy, add a bit more honey; if it’s not spicy enough, a few drops of Sriracha or other hot sauce will kick up the heat instantly. If you’re timid, make a half-batch of hot honey for your first run-through. Below is a simple recipe, followed by many ways to use the honey.
Simple Hot Honey
1 cup honey
2 to 3 teaspoons chile flakes
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
Big pinch of salt
Sriracha or other hot sauce (optional, if spicier profile is desired)
In a small pot over medium-low heat, combine honey, red chile flakes, cider vinegar and salt. When mixture begins to simmer, immediately reduce heat to lowest setting and maintain a bare simmer for 3 to 5 minutes (longer for spicier honey), watching closely so that it doesn’t boil. Remove from heat and allow honey to cool. If you like, strain out the chile flakes through a mesh sieve; the longer the flakes steep in the honey, the spicier it gets. Taste, and if you find it too spicy, add more plain honey; if it’s not spicy enough, add a few drops of Sriracha sauce or other hot sauce. Store in a tightly covered glass jar in the refrigerator for up to 4 weeks; bring to room temperature before using.
10 ways to use hot honey
1. Toss with roasted vegetables like Brussels sprouts or sweet potatoes.
2. Pour it over baked brie.
3. Drizzle it on a pizza topped with pepperoni or any other salumi.
4. Drizzle it on fried chicken, or waffles with fried chicken tenders.
5. Slather it on buttered biscuits or cornbread.
6. Add it to stir-fried dishes at the tail end of cooking.
7. Drizzle it over whole milk ricotta and serve with grilled bread.
8. Nestle a small bowl of it into a charcuterie and cheese board, accompanied by bread or crackers.
9. Drizzle it over grilled pineapple, pears or sliced strawberries.
10. Use it in place of simple syrup in cocktails.