Botanical Name: Capsicum chinense
Scotch Bonnet chiles are one of the hottest and most iconic chili peppers in Caribbean cuisine, known for their fiery heat and distinctive fruity flavor. These small, squat peppers, typically measuring around 1 to 2 inches in diameter, are named for their resemblance to a traditional Scottish tam, or bonnet, due to their wrinkled, bonnet-like shape. Scotch Bonnet chiles come in a variety of colors, from green to vibrant red, yellow, and orange as they ripen.
On the Scoville scale, Scotch Bonnet chiles rank between 100,000 and 350,000 Scoville Heat Units (SHU), placing them among the hottest chiles in the world, comparable to habanero peppers. Despite their intense heat, Scotch Bonnet chiles are prized for their unique, fruity flavor profile, which includes notes of tropical fruits like mango, apricot, and cherry, along with a subtle sweetness. This combination of heat and flavor makes Scotch Bonnets a favorite in Caribbean and West African cooking.
In Caribbean cuisine, Scotch Bonnet chiles are a key ingredient in many traditional dishes, such as jerk chicken, where their heat and fruity flavor are essential to the spice blend that defines the dish. They are also widely used in pepper sauces and hot sauces, where ingredients like vinegar, citrus, and tropical fruits balance their fiery punch. Scotch Bonnet peppers are also added to soups, stews, and marinades to provide a bold, spicy kick.
When using Scotch Bonnets, caution is advised due to their intense heat. They are typically used whole or chopped, and for those who want to reduce the heat while preserving the flavor, the seeds and inner membranes can be removed.