If there is one thing I like planting in the spring time, it is chili peppers. I have standard plants I like, which include jalapeno, serrano, thai bird, and habanero peppers. As the cold weather slowly approached us in Wisconsin this year, yes, it is still in the 50’s in November, I had to pull my remaining peppers from the garden. This included many habanero peppers.
But lets face it when it comes to habanero peppers. There is not a whole lot you can do with them. They are fairly dang hot, and cannot be used in a lot of dishes. Sure, you can figure out a jam, or make a marinade, but you are still left over with a lot of peppers. Upon my last picking, I wanted to come up with something that I liked, hot sauce, and use the habaneros in a way that it would not kill the palette, but lend itself to a hot sauce addiction, and this sauce did just that.
Ingredients:
- 8 whole habanero peppers, stem removed
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1 tbsp tumeric powder
- 1 medium onion, halved
- 3 cloves of garlic, smashed
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 4 cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/4 cup of fresh cilantro, lightly chopped
- 3/4 cup of cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
Begin by preheating your oven 425 degrees, lay the tomatoes, onions and garlic on a baking sheet and drizzle with the olive oil. Sprinkle with some salt and pepper, and cook unto the onions are roasted, about 15 minutes.
Remove the sheet of veggies, place them in a blender along with the remaining ingredients, and blend. Blend until you have a pureed sauce of habaneros and veggies. Pour into a sealed tight container and use as needed.
Now here is the deal on this sauce. I will be honest, it has a bite, but it has that bite that keeps you so interested in another bite, and another, and another.
I have a couple of chili heads at work, and brought the sauce in the other day. One coworker said “You can bottle that, and sell it today”. I agree. This sauce has something about it. It’s hot, but keeps you wanting more, and in my book, that is something good, and comforting. Lightly dip with chips, place a bit in your pasta, or lightly rub chicken, beef, or pork before smoking or grilling. Try it out, and let me know.