My Favorite Recipes

I found another Rick Bayless recipe that rocks.  As a fiftieth birthday present, I received an garden pot full of herbs and on top of the pot a habanero pepper plant.  I used a pepper here and there in some salsa, but soon I had a bumper crop and I needed to use them quickly.  Searching my recipe library, I found this habanero hot sauce which uses a full dozen habaneros in making about two cups of hot sauce.  Now 12 sounds like a lot, but you only use a few drops of the sauce.  What sets this apart from other hot sauces, is the floral character that hits you before the heat gets you.  Keep this in the refrigerator for some kick and pizzaz.

Ingredients

• 5 cloves of garlic, unpeeled
• 1/2 cup peeled, roughly chopped carrot (about 1 medium)
• 1/2 cup chopped white onion (about 1/2 of a small onion)
• 12 medium (5 ounces) orange habanero chiles, stemmed
• 1 cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp sugar

Procedure

Notes

Try the sauce on the following items:

• Eggs
• Mac and cheese
• tacos
• enchiladas
• Add to some sour cream with lime juice for a topping for mexican food

I found this recipe in Bobby Flay’s Mesa Grill Cook book. After I made it, I realized I had nothing to use it with. Later in the week, we made a pork tenderloin with a Jamaica Jerk rub (see note) and the sauce matched perfectly with the pork. We added a simple papaya salsa, and wow, this was on great meal.

Ingredients

• 2 Tbl canola oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 3 ripe mangoes, peeled pitted and coarsely chopped
• 1 habanero chile, chopped
• 2 to 4 Tbl of honey
• 1 cup white wine vinegar
• water

Procedure

Heat oil in a sauce pan over medium high heat.  Add the onion and cook until soft.  Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about one minute.  Add the mangoes, habanero, and enough water to cover, but no more than one cup.  Cook, stirring frequently, until the water has evaporated.  This should take 8 to 12 minutes, depending on your stove.  Add the honey and vinegar and cook on low until the mixture thickens slightly.

Transfer the sauce to a blender and blend until smooth.  Strain into a bowl and season with salt.

Note

Use the following jerk rub on chicken or pork.  When I first made it, I didn’t have any any onion powder, so I added some extra garlic and ginger.  It still worked.  Mix all ingredients, rub on your chicken or pork and grill to your liking.

• 2 Tbl ground corriander
• 2 Tbl ground ginger
• 2 Tbl brown sugar
• 1 Tbl onion powder
• 1 Tbl garlic powder
• 1 Tbl kosher salt
• 1 Tbl chile powder (ancho, chipotle or regular)
• 2 tsp coarsely ground pepper
• 2 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground allspice
• 1 tsp ground cloves

This is such a wonderful and simple sauce from Bobby Flay. It is simple and keeps fairly well. Use this sauce with almost any fish or chicken. I know the habanero is a very hot pepper, but it also has a very floral character to it. It adds so much to the sauce. Substituting another pepper just wont do. The only substitution I would use is some chipotle puree. The heat and smokiness would compliment the sweetness, but you will have a different sauce.

Ingredients

• 2 Cups Orange Juice
• 1 Tbl Honey
• 1 Habanero, or a tsp of Chipotle puree
• 1/4 tsp Salt

Procedure

Put the orange juice and honey in a small sauce pan and place over medium high heat. If you want a hotter sauce, cut a slit into the habanero and place the pepper in the orange juice. Boil the OJ, honey and habanero until its reduced to about 1/2 cup. If the habanero is starting to hit the bottom of the pan, go ahead and remove it, as its done its job. Once reduced to your desired consistency, add the salt and enjoy.

Uses

This sauce has the classic Bobby Flay combination of fruit and hot chile. Spoon a small amount on a plate and place a piece of fish such as a sauteed tilapia, baked halibut, or broiled salmon. Serve with a vegetable side such as sauteed spinich or broccoli and enjoy.