One Kitchen, Many Cultures

/hot sauce (Page 2)
Gluten Free Sauces & Condiments

Caribbean Lime Lemon Pepper-Sauce (hot sauce).

The sort of thick cut or chunky version of this pepper-sauce is one which takes me back to being a small fella on the islands and ‘Soup Saturdays’. That thick, ground provision laden soup mommy would make for us for lunch every Saturday. And like that version, this one will rock on your Caribbean soups and stews just as well. Along with anything you normally use hot sauces on. Can you say grilled meats and seafood?

You’ll Need…

30-40 peppers (a variety)
2 cups vinegar (plain white)
3 limes
11 lemons (divided)
3/4 tablespoon sea salt
1/2 medium bitter melon
15-20 cloves garlic
15 -20 leaves of shado beni (culantro)

Notes. I used a variety of scorching hot peppers (explained in the video below), but this will work with any one of your fav peppers. If you cannot source Shado Beni (chadon beni or culantro) cilantro makes for a great replacement.

Remove the stems off the limes and lemons and wash them thouroughly. Then cut 3 of the lemons and all limes into small pieces. Do remove any seeds you come across and discard.

Add the cut limes and lemons into a saucepan with the vinegar. Place on a medium heat until you start seeing small bubbles on the edges. As soon as that happens, turn the heat to a very gentle simmer. Cook for 20-25 minutes.

Juice the remaining lemons and give the shado beni and garlic a rough chop. Wash the peppers and remove the seeds, then give them a rough chop too.

IMPORTANT! Wear gloves when handling these peppers – actually throughout making this pepper sauce. And do wash your hands immediately after with soap and water.

With the bitter melon you’ll need to cut it down (lengthwise) the center to remove the core (discard), then slice thin.

Place everything (including the cooked limes/lemons – allow it to cool a bit first) into your blender or food processor and puree.

Stop, scrape down the sides and continue until you have a consistency you like. For me it was smooth, but with a slight chunkiness as I like getting tiny bits of the Shadon Beni, Garlic and Bitter melon (aka caraile) when I use this spicy condiment.

Store in sterilized glass containers. It’s very important that you allow this to cure for a few days before using. As to allow those flavors to truly combine and create tasty greatness. be mindful that this is SPICY!

You can keep this in a cool spot in your kitchen, but for maximum shelf life, store in the fridge. Do not dip wet nor dirty spoons when getting some. It will last at least 3 months in the fridge.

Drop me your comments below, tag me on Instagram and don’t forget you can now get my cookbook – The Vibrant Caribbean Pot, 100 Traditional And Fusion Recipes @ CaribbeanPot.com/CookBook/

Gluten Free Sauces & Condiments

The Ultimate Caribbean Pepper Oil.

I’m about to share one of the most versatile ways of spicing up any dish.. in ways traditional peppersauce (hot sauce) CANNOT! From soups, stews, curries.. even your basic ground provision, plain flour dumplings and pasta dishes will scream for this kinda heat luv. Be mindful that in making this your tastebuds will never be the same again and you will be required to have a constant supply on hand.

You’ll Need…

3 pods cardamom
1 tablespoon whole black pepper
1 star anise
teaspoon allspice
teaspoon mustard seeds
tablespoon coriander seeds
2 – 2 1/2 cups veg oil
1 1/2 lbs HOT peppers
14 cloves garlic
3 scallions
3-4 thick slices ginger
3/4 teaspoon salt

IMPORATNT! Wear gloves and wash your hands with soap and water immediately after handling these peppers. I’d also suggest that you open the windows in your kitchen to air it out. This recipe is posted under Gluten Free, so kindly go through the entire list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs.

Peppers! I used a variety of very hot peppers… like scotch bonnet, habanero, scorpions, wiri wiri etc. Use peppers you can source and heat level you can handle.

Put the oil in a sauce pan, add the black pepper, cardamom, star anise, allspice, mustard seeds, coriander seeds and med low heat – until you see tiny bubbles on the edges. Then turn the heat as LOW as it can go and have it on that gentle heat for 20 minutes.

Give the garlic, ginger, scallions and peppers a rough chop. Then place it all into a food processor along with the salt and puree to a thick sort of slurry. You will need to scrape down the side of the food processor to make sure everything is worked to the same consistency.

Now empty the contents of the food processor into a deep bowl (heat proof – NOT plastic) and now GENTLY pour in the seasoned (hot) oil (STRAIN) and give everything a mix. PLEASE be very careful when adding that hot oil to the bowl and try to use a strainer which will catch everything from the oil. Those spices did their work and there’s no need for them now.

Remember to be VERY careful when adding the hot oil to the wet crushed peppers, vent the kitchen and allow it to cool before handling (after you’ve stirred it).

Pour (using a funnel) into your bottles to store. I’ve had mine stored in a dark/cool cupboard for a few months now. Yes the peppers will settle, so give it a good mix before using. YES this is SPICY!

Drop me your comments below, tag me on Instagram and don’t forget you can now get my cookbook – The Vibrant Caribbean Pot, 100 Traditional And Fusion Recipes @ CaribbeanPot.com/CookBook/

Sauces & Condiments

The Ultimate Scorpion Green Goddess Sauce.

Along with cooking, gardening (being in the outdoors) is probably my second passion and my way of dealing with everyday stress. While I can’t (I do try though) grow many of the tropical fruits and vegetables I grew up enjoying in the Caribbean, I’ve been VERY successful at growing some of the most insane (HOT) peppers in the world. With that in mind, I give you my Green Goddess Sauce.

You’ll Need…

peppers (assortment | 15-20)
1 teaspoon grated horseradish
5-7 leaves shado beni
1-2 tablespoon olive oil
3/4 cup mayo
1 teaspoon white sugar
1 lime (juice)
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 small bitter-melon (rough chop)
4-6 cloves garlic

Warning! This can be VERY spicy. Please wear gloves, work in a well ventilated room and be sure to wash your hands with soap and water IMMEDIATELY after handling such hot peppers.

I used a food processor to make this insanely spicy (but flavorful) sauce, but I strongly believe that you’ll get better results (more smooth/creamy) from a high speed blender.

Remove the stems off the peppers (I used all green peppers, except for 1 ripe or red Ghost to give the sauce some specks of red) and give them a wash with cool water – drain/dry. Then you’re basically adding all the ingredients mentioned above into a food processor or blender.

While horseradish is not something you find, nor see being used in Caribbean style peppersauce (hot sauce), it adds a wonderful heat profile the peppers cannot deliver.

In case you’re wondering, I used Trinidad Moruga Scorpion, Pimento (aka seasoning peppers), Habanero and Green ghost (Bhut jolokia) peppers. But you can tame things down with less spicy peppers and of course you can use peppers you have available to you. No bell or sweet peppers will NOT work.

Run everything in the food processor or blender until smooth or to the consistency you like.

The mayo + garlic undertone is just outstanding.. without taking away from the HEAT of the peppers and horseradish. The bitter melon is another key addition which helps to bring all the flavors together and the sugar will help to mellow things a little. Honey would be another great addition if you want to play around with the recipe.

This green goddess sauce will last in the fridge (once you use a sterilized glass container) for 5- 8 months. And if you want to change the flavor a little, warm about a teaspoon full in the microwave (not on a metal spoon obviously) and get ready for a totally different taste… it’s as if it awakens the Caribbean Sunshine!

If you can, please support. And should you have questions about this recipe or anything food related, be sure to Ask Chris.

Gluten Free Sauces & Condiments Vegetarian

Caribbean Pineapple Peppersauce (hot sauce).

With another season of abundant peppers in my garden and with all the requests for more peppersauce (hot sauce) recipes, I thought I’d share one influenced by the amazing CoCoPine Sauce that my good friend (and chef) Barry B market in the Caribbean. Chef B’s is a bit more complex and it reflects in the overall flavor. However this version can hold it’s own and will tantalize your taste buds.

You”ll Need…

  • 3/4 small pineapple
  • 10-15 assorted hot peppers
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 lemons (juice)
  • 1 teaspoon grated horseradish
  • 4 large cloves garlic
  • 4-6 leaves shado beni (culantro)

Important: Wear gloves and wash your hands immediately after handling such hot peppers. If you cannot source Shado Beni (chadon beni) feel free to use cilantro (coriander) . To tame the heat you can remove and discard the seeds and white membrane surrounding the seeds of the peppers and discard.

Basically all you have to do at this point is to prep the ingredients. Wash and remove the stems off the peppers (you can give them a rough-chop if you wish). Peel, core and cube the pineapple, then juice the lemons. And finally.. grate the horseradish.

Please everything into the food processor or blender that you’re using to make the puree. Keep in mind that you can make this smooth or as I prefer, a bit chunky. Thus the reason I went with using a food processor. Feel free to give the Shado beni a rough chop too.

Since I wanted a bit of chunky consistency, I went ahead and pulsed the food processor. Stopping to scrape down the sides a couple times. Be sure to have the windows in your kitchen open as the scent of the peppers can be a bit overwhelming.

It’s that simple. An incredibly fiery and tasty peppersauce one would expect from the Caribbean. I used a combination of Ghost, Habanero, Scotch Bonnet, Chocolate and Scorpion peppers. Watch the video below for the exact peppers I used. Feel free to use peppers you can handle and/or have available in your region.

Place in a clean container and store in the fridge. You will notice that after a week or so the heat will subside, the flavor of the pineapple will decrease and you may need to add a bit more salt. This is all natural. For a more pronounced pineapple flavor you can go in a with a pineapple juice reduction.

Gluten Free Sauces & Condiments

Insanely Good Guava Peppersauce (hot-sauce).

guava pepper sauce (10)

While I don’t have immediate access to many of the fruits I grew up eating as a young fella on the islands, with many local groceries servicing the vibrant immigrant population in Ontario, there are times when I luck out. This time I came across ripe guavas (mind you they were not the best quality) at my favorite Asian market. Usually I’d make guava jam or guava cheese, but the amount of fruit required for those two recipes.. let’s just say my budget didn’t allow for it. So a fruity peppersauce came to mind.

You’ll Need…

10-15 hot peppers
2 cloves garlic (smashed)
6-8 guavas (ripe, seeded)
2 cups white vinegar
1 tablespoon molasses
2 tablespoon honey
3/4 cup raisins
1/2 lime (juice)
2 slices ginger
1 teaspoon salt

* add brown sugar for a more sweet undertone

IMPORTANT! PLEASE wear gloves when handling these hot peppers and wash your hands immediately after with soap and water. If doing this recipe gluten free, please go through the entire list of ingredients to ensure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs.

For more heat add more hot peppers and for a more fruity/guava flavor, I’d recommend using more ripe guavas in the mix.

I kept the seeds of the peppers (I used a combination of extremely hot peppers) as I wanted the raw heat. Discard the seeds if you’d like it a bit more tame. Wash, remove the stems and rough-chop the peppers. Then cut the tips off the guavas, cut into 1/4’s and remove/discard the seeds (if there are any blemishes on the skin of the guava, cut off and discard). Add both to a saucepan, along with the vinegar, raisins, salt, ginger slices and molasses. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a very gentle simmer. Simmer for about 30 minutes with the pan covered (slightly ajar). I’d recommend turning the fan on over your stove or open the windows in your kitchen.

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guava pepper sauce (2)

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Turn off the stove and allow it to cool. Then remove the ginger slices and discard… place in a blender and puree until relatively smooth (you can personalize it by leaving it a texture you like).

guava pepper sauce (6)

Return back to the saucepan, add the honey and lime juice, stir well and bring back to a simmer. Cook for 5-7 mins on a low heat.

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Store in a clean glass container with a lid (if you use plastic the scent/taste will remain permanently) and store in the fridge. Yes it can stay outside the fridge for about a week or two, however in the fridge it will last a couple months easily.

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This Guava hot sauce is excellent on grilled meats and vegetables, on your morning eggs and just about anywhere you’d normally add a spicy condiment. If you’re wondering how this would taste.. fiery, with a sort of bbq sauce undertone and overall fruitiness from the guava and sugar elements.

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Gluten Free Sauces & Condiments

Cider Maple Habanero Peppersauce (hot sauce) Recipe.

maple pepper sauce (7)

This past Fall I decided to do a peppersauce tribute to my home for the last 20 something years.. Canada. With a bumper crop of  Habanero peppers (works great with scotch bonnets as well) in my small kitchen garden at the back of my house, the creative juices were flowing. Habaneros are some of my favorite spicy peppers, with the natural fruity undertones along with the fiery heat they possess. With a dose of fresh made apple cider (not vinegar) and some organic maple syrup, this pepper sauce was truly heavenly.

You’ll Need…

8-10 Habanero Peppers
1 1/2 cups apple cider
1/2 cup white vinegar
1/2 lime (juice)
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon mustard powder

* You may need to add a bit more apple cider if it gets too thick.

*Important : If doing this recipe gluten free, kindly go through the entire list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs.

maple pepper sauce (1)

Wash the peppers and give them a rough chop. Remember to wear gloves and to wash your hands immediately after with soap and water. Include the seeds of the peppers for a more pronounced kick of heat!

maple pepper sauce (2)

Add everything (except the lime juice) to a sauce pan, then place the pan over a medium heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Stir and reduce the liquid by about half and the peppers are a bit tender. (about 10-15 mins)

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maple pepper sauce (4)

maple pepper sauce (5)

Turn off the heat and allow it to cool a bit before placing in your blender or food processor. When it cools, add the lime juice and blitz until smooth.

maple pepper sauce (6)

 

This is a great condiment to use wherever you’d normal use hot sauces. I roasted off some chicken wings in the oven and gave them a slight coating of this marvelous peppersauce while they were still warm. Please store in the fridge – last in excess of 2 months easily.

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