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In this recipe, I enjoy the mix of spices: serrano, cilantro, mint, cinnamon...

Next time we'll cook it, we won't have serrano available. What could be a substitute for it?

Ideally this substitute is not hard to get in Europe...

Note the serrano's contribution to the dish. They're not opened. They're not eaten. They simmer with the rest of the ingredients perhaps adding some taste.

EDIT: Thanks for the suggestions. I now realize that substitute may not have been the best wording. Given the constraints, a simple s/serrano/xxxx/ replacement may not do ☺

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I'm not sure what's common in Europe - can you actually count on getting any fresh hot peppers besides jalapeños? – Jefromi Jan 23 at 1:02
I'm a European and I can't even get fresh jalapeños where I live (but I don't live in a very large city). – Mien Jan 23 at 10:54
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3 Answers

up vote 1 down vote accepted

You want something hot and very slightly herby, without smoke. For heat, a moderate amount of cayenne is the easiest option. For the herby notes, I might go with something like marjoram or rosemary, but frankly given the cilantro and mint I probably wouldn't bother.

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Thanks Dave. something hot and very slightly herby, without smoke may be a good description of it. Cayenne, marjoram and rosemary sound like a good place to start working :-) – user8830 Jan 23 at 16:39
If you're going to go this route, you might as well just use cayenne (or whatever you want for heat) and some bell pepper. I don't think marjoram or rosemary entirely cover pepper flavor. – Jefromi Jan 23 at 18:01
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up vote 2 down vote

The closest thing that's at all common in grocery stores in my experience is just a jalapeño. There might be some alternatives, but I think they'd be even harder to find than serranos. (This is based on my experience in the US, but I'm guessing it'll be true in Europe too.)

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This seems right. They are similar in both heat and flavor profile. – Sean Hart Jan 23 at 3:07
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up vote 0 down vote

If you have an Asian market, the fresh ground chili paste found there is a reasonable substitute for serrano peppers. I use 'Sambal Oelek' brand, with a rooster on the label: this stuff

It's somewhat hotter than serrano, but not habanero hot. A teaspoon per dish will kick things up a notch, with a fairly rich pepper flavor.

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Super! Sambal is a great suggestion. Thanks ☺ – user8830 Jan 23 at 18:37
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