I like spicy food almost as much on the way in as I do on the way out. Maybe it's a tad perverse, but the powerful sensation of relief I get after intense discomfort is an end unto itself for me. Does anyone else eagerly anticipate the post-spicy food evacuation? For me it's very similar to that calm before (and after) the storm common to certain recreational drugs ...
I find most foods that I eat are improved by copious quantities of crushed red pepper, or more flavorful heat where appropriate. A favorite breakfast of mine lately is a quite simple and satisfying bacon and egg burrito. First fry two strips of bacon, drain the grease (but leave the pan well coated), and then scramble two eggs in the dirtied pan. Spice with black and red pepper,
Tony Chacheres, and perhaps a little fennel as desired. The Tony C is pretty salty though, so use it in moderation. Wrap everything up in a tortilla and enjoy!
I've yet to find a spaghetti sauce that isn't improved by a habañero pepper or two. It doesn't matter if you dice or purée the peppers, as long as you stir periodically and let the sauce simmer into a nice, thick ragù, the heat will leech out of the peppers and permeate the sauce entirely. You can also use spicy italian sausage mince for a pleasant bit of zing distinct from the capsicums. In those savory, meaty sauces, it's also worth trying a dash of cocoa and cinnamon. In small amounts they give the sauce a rich aroma and a deep, earthy character without overpowering the other flavors.
When hosting people for meals it can be fun to infuse a seemingly benign pasta or rice (served plain, with another dish as a topper) with spice. To do so, soak crushed peppers in some cheap vodka. Capsaicin is soluble in ethanol, so the vodka will remain spicy even after you strain out the visible vegetable matter. Then when making rice or pasta, simply mix capsaicin infused alcohol into the cooking water for invisible and unexpected spice! This makes for especially interesting creations at sushi making parties.
I don't tend to like spice in dessert-type dishes. Pudding, chocolate, ice cream, and the like just don't go well with spicy flavors. Given my preference for unadulterated sweets, I was pleasantly surprised to find that a dash of cayenne can nicely enhance fried banana batter. Try mixing together 1½ oz flour, ½ oz corn starch, 1 egg, 1 Tbsp water, ¼ tsp cayenne, and 1 egg white (whipped) for your batter. Coat two bananas worth of banana chunks in corn starch before dipping them in the batter and frying them in a wok until they are a crispy, golden brown. Empty the wok, drain the bananas, and simmer equal parts honey (or maple syrup) and water until the sugar starts to caramelize. Stir in the bananas, coat fully, and they are ready to serve! You can also sprinkle on sesame seeds if you like the flavor.
