Even though it seems counterintuitive, the heat of warm spices and chiles have well-known cooling effects in hot weather. So instead of seeking balm beneath a potato masher, why not mitigate the anxiety and uncertainty of the midterm election with dinners that measure power in Scoville units?

Lots of Bittman Project recipes include chiles, but this week I've got four dishes that hinge on heat. Each features peppers in a different form—canned chipotle in adobo, harissa, dried chiles, and the ubiquitous crushed red pepper — and range from vegan to beefy. You decide the intensity. Along the way, there are lots of tips on how to customize and vary for any time you're fired up and want to keep cool.

Chipotle-Tuna Quesadillas

Time: 30 minutes
Makes: 4 quesadillas (2 to 6 servings, depending on whether you're snacking or chowing)

Making quesadillas in the oven is virtually hands-off. Plus, you have the advantage of making a big batch in one fell swoop. A quick smoky-spicy tuna salad helps keep these on the light side, though if you want to up the cheese factor you can push the jack a bit. I vote for corn tortillas here but recognize that's a minority position. Flour is always a sure winner. 

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons good-quality vegetable oil (like sunflower or grapeseed), plus more as needed.

• 1 or more canned chipotle chiles in adobo

• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise

• One 6-ounce can (or jar) water- or oil-packed tuna, drained

• 1 chopped scallion

• Salt and pepper

• 8 6-inch corn or flour tortillas

• 4 to 6 ounces sliced or grated jack cheese

• Fresh chopped cilantro for garnish

• Salsa for serving

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 425°F. Grease a large rimmed baking sheet with 2 tablespoons of the oil. 

2. Put one or more chile and a little of the adobo in a medium bowl with the mayonnaise. Stir with a fork, mashing the chile until the color is uniform and few big bits remain. Add the tuna and scallions and stir to combine. Taste and add salt and pepper and more adobo if you'd like.

3. Put the greased pan in the oven to heat while you assemble the quesadillas. Spread 4 tortillas out on a work surface, divide the tuna salad among them, and spread it almost to the edges. Top each tortilla with a quarter of the cheese and close the quesadillas with another tortilla. Press gently and smear the remaining oil on the tops.

4. Carefully remove the baking sheet from the oven and use a spatula to transfer each quesadilla to pan. Bake until the bottom tortilla is golden and crisp, and the cheese is beginning melt, 5 to 10 minutes. Press down on the tops of the quesadillas with the spatula and turn them. (The trick is to hold them up high enough to clear the baking sheet and don't hesitate while flipping.)

5. Continue baking until the cheese is as melted as you want it, 3 to 5 more minutes. Remove the pan from the oven. Let the quesadillas rest for a couple minutes before transferring to a board to cut in wedges. Garnish with some chopped cilantro and serve with salsa.

—Recipe developed by Kerri Conan

Caramelized Harissa Drumsticks with Simmered Chickpeas

Time: About 45 minutes
Makes: 4 to 6 servings

Chicken legs are usually an economical cut, especially if you round out the meal with a hearty sauce, some yogurt, and flatbread. Honestly, you could use any seasoned chile paste to spike the sauce but there's something about the warm spices in harissa that makes the tomatoes cheer. For a meatless version, try thick tofu planks, eggplant or cauliflower steaks, or sliced winter squash instead of the drumsticks and adjust the cooking time accordingly. Whatever way you go, the poach-then-sear technique in the recipe delivers crisp skin with a make-ahead opportunity. 

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons olive oil, plus more as needed

• 1 white or yellow onion

• 4 garlic cloves (or more if you'd like)

• Salt

• 2 teaspoons cumin seeds (or ground cumin)

• One 14.5-ounce can crushed tomatoes, opened and ready to go

• 2 tablespoons harissa, or more or less to taste

• 1 to 1 1/2 pounds chicken legs (4 to 6 drumsticks)

• One 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained (or 1 1/2 cups cooked)

• Pepper

• Fresh mint and/or parsley leaves for garnish

• Toasted flatbread and labneh or other thick yogurt for serving

Instructions

1. Put 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Trim, peel and halve the onion top to bottom; cut each half crosswise into thick semi-rings. Smash the garlic with the flat side of a knife to remove the peels.

2. Put the onions and garlic in the skillet and increase the heat to medium. Sprinkle with salt and cook, stirring frequently, until the aromatics soften and begin to color, about 3 minutes. Add the cumin and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Immediately stir in the tomatoes, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.

3. Add the harissa, stir and taste. Adjust the seasoning with more harissa if you'd like. Nestle the chicken legs into the sauce and bring to a boil, then lower the heat so the liquid gently bubbles. Cover and cook, undisturbed for 15 minutes. Turn the drumsticks and stir the sauce, making sure it's not sticking; adjust the heat as necessary. Cover and cook until the legs are easily pierced with a knife and no longer show signs of pink at the bone, another 10 to 15 minutes. 

4. Transfer the drumsticks to a plate, carefully scraping off as much of the sauce as you can while leaving the skin intact. Stir the chickpeas into the sauce and bring the mixture to a boil; taste and adjust the seasoning, adding some pepper and more salt and harissa as you like. Cover and turn off the heat. (The recipe can be made ahead to this point; keep the chicken and sauce separate and refrigerate for up to a couple days. Or use this time to get everything ready for serving.)

5. Put the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a skillet big enough to hold the drumsticks comfortably. (Cast iron, carbonized steel, or a sturdy nonstick pan are the best choices.) The oil should cover the bottom in a thin film; if not, add a little more. Turn the heat to medium. When the oil shimmers add the chicken to the skillet (there will be some splattering) and sprinkle with a little salt if your sauce was under-seasoned. 

6. Maintain the heat so the drumsticks sizzle and darken without full-on sticking and burning. Resist the urge to fuss too with them much. Instead, turn the pieces with a spatula only when they release easily from the pan. The goal is skin that's crisp, caramelized, and maybe charred in some places. Figure this takes about 5 minutes. To serve, spread some yogurt on a platter or plates, top with the drumsticks, garnish with the herbs and serve with the simmered chickpeas and flatbread.

— Recipe developed by Kerri Conan

Caramelized Harissa Drumsticks With Simmered Chickpeas

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