Not knowing what to do with so much abundance, I started out with habanero pepper jelly. It is SO GOOD. That's for a later post. :)
I wanted to make habanero hot sauce. Not what a lot of people around here call hot sauce, the kind that is a bit chunky and you eat with tortilla chips - but instead, something like Tabasco or Louisiana Hot Sauce, that you sprinkle on your food. That's the texture I was after.
After frying my brain with all the variations of recipes I found, I decided on Rick Bayless's version. Pretty much the way he did it, I didn't change a thing (surprise! lol).
Habanero Hot Sauce
Rick Bayless
5 unpeeled garlic cloves
1/2 cup peeled, chopped carrot (1 medium or about 6 decent sized baby carrots)
1/2 cup chopped white onion
12 medium habanero chiles, destemmed
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1 cup water
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon sugar
Roast the garlic in a skillet over medium heat for about 10-15 minutes until soft. Cool and peel.
In a saucepan, combine carrot, onion, and chiles with vinegar and water. Partially cover and simmer until the carrots are completely tender, about 10 minutes. Pour into a blender jar, add the peeled roasted garlic, salt, and sugar. Blend until smooth. This with a little more water if you think it is too thick, and season with additional salt if you think it needs it. Pour into bottles or jars and cover with a cork or lid. Store in the fridge.
I love this so much, it's going to be a yearly thing from now on.
