Habanero Hot Sauce

Servings: 2  1/2 cups of hot sauce
Let’s face it: when the habaneros ripen (whether you’re growing them or buying them from the farmer’s market), there are way more than what most of us can use. I’ve had luck freezing them whole, but more likely, the abundance will find its way into this hot sauce. It’s an orange hot sauce to reflect the color of ripe habaneros, which means that it can be made with the same weight of any orange (even yellow) hot pepper you grow or find at the market. This recipe is straightforward, but feel free to embroider it with spices like cumin, allspice or black pepper. In the refrigerator, this hot sauce will keep for months.

INGREDIENTS

  • 6 garlic cloves, unpeeled
  • 1/2 cup peeled, roughly chopped carrot (you’ll need 1 medium carrot)
  • 1/2 cup roughly chopped white onion (you’ll need about half of a small onion)
  • 12 medium (about 5 ounces) fresh orange habanero chiles, stemmed
  • 1 cup apple cider vinegar
  • About 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon sugar

INSTRUCTIONS

Roast the garlic in a skillet over medium heat, turning regularly until soft and blackened in spots, 10 to 15 minutes.  Cook and peel.

In a small saucepan combine the carrot, onion and habaneros with the vinegar and 1 cup of water.  Partially cover and simmer over medium-low heat until the carrots are thoroughly tender, about 10 minutes.  Pour into a blender jar and add the roasted garlic, salt and sugar.  Loosely cover and blend until smooth.  Thin with a little additional water if you think your hot sauce is too thick.  Taste and season with additional salt if you think necessary.

Pour into jars or bottles and store in the refrigerator until you’re ready to add some dazzle to a dish.