Here’s a simple recipe for a very quick hot sauce that packs a wicked punch. It’s sure to add some zing to whatever meal or snack you introduce it to. For me it was a case of having some jerk pork tenderloin I just took off the grill and I craved a fresh peppa sauce to top the thinly sliced pieces of pork to enjoy while I watched play-off football this weekend.

*This makes about 1 1/2 cups of hot sauce.

You’ll Need…

1 teaspoon salt
4-6 cloves garlic
20 habanero or scotch bonnet peppers (use any hot pepper you like and can tolerate)
3/4 cup vinegar
1 cup roughly chopped cilantro
4 mild peppers (banana, Cubanelle, Hungarian Yellow, Biscayne Sweet.. etc)

Before we get to the actual process, I must mention that the peppers I used were all frozen. Every spring I plant an assortment of hot peppers, including my favourite…  the habanero. When I reap them in the fall, I place them in freezer-lock bags and keep them secure in the freezer. I then have enough peppers to last me until next harvest. So if you ever have an abundance of peppers, do remember that you can freeze them. During the winter months the very same peppers sell for between $7 and $11 a pound in the local super markets so I can’t afford them. Luckily I have my supply in our freezer.

Wash and remove the stems from the peppers and chop roughly (wear gloves if you’re using scotch bonnet or habanero). Then do the same with the garlic and cilantro so it’s easy to work with in the food processor.

Add everything to a blender or food processor and process for a couple minutes. Try to get a smooth consistency but try not to overwork it, since we don’t want to add too much air  and risk it getting foamy.

Taste for salt (if you’re getting a sort of raw taste with no flavour except the heat of the pepper, add a little more salt)

*Fresh squeezed lime or lemons also add another lovely level of flavour to this sauce.

Place in a jar and use as needed. Normally since we used vinegar as the liquid in the sauce, you should not have to refrigerate it. However it may be a good idea to place it in fridge just as  a precaution. Please note though that the sauce will loose a bit of it’s heat the longer it stays in the fridge.

Do you have a quick hot sauce recipe you’d like to share? leave me a comment in the comment box below.

Happy cooking!

Chris…

Here’s my take on a sauce where I use ripe mango and ginger to add some flair to the insanely hot habenero peppers. You’ll soon see this featured at your local grocers or online, but with an added twist. I’m hoping you’ll be too lazy to make it yourself and get a few bottles when it’s launched

You’ll need…

1 large ripe mango – peeled / diced
10-14 habanero peppers (use less if you’re chicken) – diced
1 onion – diced
2 cloves of garlic – crushed
2 banana peppers – diced
1 red bell pepper – diced
3 tablespoon cilantro – chopped
1 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
1 tablespoon salt
2 limes – juice
1 tablespoon crushed ginger ( I used the bottled stuff)
1 tablespoon mustard – optional (I didn’t use it this time)

This is a simple 3 step recipe.

Step 1. Cut, dice, squeeze and crush as necessary.

Step 2. Place all the ingredients into a pan, bring to a boil then cover and simmer gently for about 15 minutes.

Step 3. Allow to cool, then add to a food processor or blender and puree. Feel free to leave it a bit chunky if you’d like some texture to it.

So simple, yet amazingly tasty! Don’t be fooled by the title of this post as it’s not one of those pure habanero sauces that’s all about heat. With the mango, ginger and orange juice used in this recipe, you’ll be amazed by the different level of flavours you’ll experience. WARNING! When this first hits your mouth it’s rater mild, but like a “pop rock” candy, there will be a delayed explosion and you will feel a “punch” as it makes it’s introduction to your taste buds.

TIP! Start off with 4 habaneros with the first batch you make, so you can then judge the heat level for future batches.

BTW, this makes about 4 cups of sauce, so you’ll have enough to share with your friends. They’ll be amazed at your creation – trust me! Remember to leave me your comments below.

Back to the breakfast at the Hyatt… BTW if you’re ever  in Port Of Spain, be sure to have breakfast here. Not only is the food and service tops, nothing beats dining steps away from the ocean. While on my prowl at the buffet I noticed a green sauce sitting all lonely in a corner of the “meat” section. Long story short.. it turned out to be a “shado beni” hot sauce that the chef made fresh on a daily basis. Yea, I even got our waiter to sneak me some to take home in a little disposable cappuccino cup. It was that good. That little green sauce that was so full of flavor and punch, added a new momentousness to plain scrambled eggs and sausage.

Here’s my version of this amazing Shado Beni hot sauce.

You’ll need….

1 bunch of shado beni (subsitute 1 bunch of cilantro)

1 lime

1 hot pepper (or as many as you can handle)

1/4 teaspoon of salt

1/4 cup of water.

3 cloves of garlic

Don’t be fooled by how simple this recipe is… it’s GUARANTEED to excite your taste buds.

Remove the skin from the garlic, slice and place in food processor. Cut and squeeze the lime juice in the processor, then add the salt, water and hot pepper. Now wash and rough cut the shado beni (or cilantro) and … place in food processor.

Final step is to puree the entire lot for about 3-4 minutes, stopping to push the ingredients down so everything gets worked.

That’s it, you’re done! Be sure to check for salt and heat level. If it’s not hot enough for you, simply add more peppers as necessary. STORAGE – Use fresh or place in a container in the refrigerator.

USE? Anywhere you usually use hot sauce on. Grilled meats, chicken wings, as a side on dishes, on your eggs in the morning (yum).. be creative!