The Hot Pepper

lol... rock it!

Phil, I'm making a Prudhomme recipe that calls for cayenne in the spice mix. Should I stick with that or is there something else you'd recommend?

I'd trust a Prudhomme recipe. No real "right" way. Ask 20 Losey-anyans how to cook gumbo, you'll get 15-20 different answers. I say go with it.

The recipe is tried and true. (I find it easy to trust a recipe from a chef who weighs 600lbs.) I was just thinking of replacing some of the cayenne with maybe some scotch bonnet or ajis.

scotch bonnet for sure !

Do it! To me, cayenne provides a little heat, but it has no personality. Some of the citrus flavor profiles of the other peppers could help enhance the other flavors. Most people around here put plain old hot sauce on their red beans, but in my experience, nothing compliments red beans like habanero cooked in.