Habanero / vegetarian / basque pepper hot sauce
The local AMAP (community-supported agriculture association) we are lucky to have closeby also cultivates peppers, and sometimes sells a bunch of a variety.
nice little habaneros that grew only 500m away from me
I grab a handful and freeze them, and over the months a few varieties accumulated. I tried a nice recipe based on what I liked in other sauces :
- 5 yellow habanero bells
- 2 big basque peppers
- 4 vegetarian chili peppers*
- 2 teaspoons of sea salt
- 1 teaspoon of ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon of smoked paprika
- 4 tablespoons of red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon of sunflower oil
- 1 tablesppon of olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves
- 2 tablespoons of rum
Slice all the peppers, crush the garlic cloves and cut them finely.
the frozen peppers, sliced. note the different tones, with the vegetarian chili peppers being a pale pinkish red, the sweet basque peppers a dark-brown red, and the bright sunset-like orange of the habaneros.
Heat the oils in a small pan, add the peppers then the spices. After a bit of light browning, add the rum, let the peppers take the flavor for a small instant, and add the vinegar and let simmer for a while. I let it alone for 30 minutes.
Then, crush everything, or mix it in a blender, and use some cheesecloth to filter out the pepper’s skins and seeds.
The result is an orange butternut-like smooth sauce, with a smell that’s lightly acid, mellow and fruity, but not vinegary.
Trying it, the habanero flavor is very distinct, with hints of the vegetarian chili too. The basque peppers mainly balance the vinegar but do not contribute too much flavor. I’m left longing for grilled fish and limes. On the strength side, even if that’s a controversial topic, it’s a bit under a french sauce I have that’s rated at 600k SHU. But you never really know.