| A friend of mine once told me there is more | | | | and pepper sauce. Lightly dust the chicken |
| to the culinary life than chile peppers. He | | | | with flour, dip in the egg mixture and roll |
| might be right, but he keeps telling me this | | | | in the bread crumbs. |
| over my diner table, so go figure. | | | | |
| | | | Apricot-Habanero Barbecue Sauce |
| The habanero chile (Capsicum chinense | | | | |
| Jacquin) is the most intensely spicy chile | | | | You want to do this sauce over and over |
| pepper of the Capsicum genus. Unripe | | | | again. |
| habaneros are green, but the color at | | | | |
| maturity varies. Common colors are orange and | | | | A fruity sweetness, a rich vegetable aroma, |
| red, but white, brown, and pink are also | | | | and a dash of habanero makes this sauce just |
| seen. | | | | perfect for salmon, halibut, and catfish. Try |
| | | | this with poultry and pork too. |
| Most habaneros rate 200,000-300,000 Scoville | | | | |
| heat units (SHU), with the Guinness Book of | | | | *1 yellow onion, finely chopped |
| Records recognizing the Red Savinas variety, | | | | |
| developed by GNS Spices of Southern | | | | *2 cloves garlic |
| California, as the 'World's Hottest Spice' at | | | | |
| 580,000 SHU. For comparison, a Cayenne pepper | | | | *corn or canola oil |
| is typically 30,000 to 50,000 SHU while | | | | |
| police-grade pepper spray rates 5,300,000 | | | | *1 yellow bell pepper, roasted, peeled, and |
| SHU. A typical Jalapeno pepper is about 4,500 | | | | seeded |
| Scoville units. This means that 4,500 parts | | | | |
| of sugar water are required to dilute one | | | | *2/3 cup (150 g) dried apricots |
| part Jalapeno extract until its heat can no | | | | |
| longer be felt. | | | | *1 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinager |
| | | | |
| Habaneros are believed to originate in Cuba. | | | | *3 tablespoons (1/2 dl) brown sugar |
| Other producers include Belize, the Yucatan | | | | |
| peninsula, Costa Rica and some US states | | | | *1 1/4 cups (3 dl) water |
| including Texas, Idaho and California. | | | | |
| | | | *1 tablespoon Colmans powdered mustard |
| The habanero's heat and delicate fruity, | | | | |
| citrus-like flavor make it a popular | | | | *4 tablespoon habanero hot sauce |
| ingredient in the hotter hot sauces and the | | | | |
| spiciest of foods. We are going to discuss | | | | *salt |
| some ways of using the habanero for our own | | | | |
| person cuisine, but keep in mind some to | | | | In a pan, sauté the onion and garlic in a |
| those heat statistics above. You don't want | | | | little oil until soft. Add the remaining |
| to accidentally get the juice from these | | | | ingredients, except the mustard powder and |
| peppers anywhere near your face or eyes. | | | | habanero. Simmer, covered, for 20 minutes, or |
| Recently I got a dose of habanero juice under | | | | until the apricots are soft. Pour into a food |
| my thumb nail, and it burned for three days | | | | processor. Season with mustard powder, |
| no matter how much I washed it off. So be | | | | habanero, and salt while processing to a |
| careful, and we'll have some fun. Don't and | | | | smooth sauce. (Serves 4) |
| possible side effects might occur. | | | | |
| | | | Spicy Island Hot Sauce |
| Bajan Chicken | | | | |
| | | | *1 ripe papaya, peeled, seeded & coarsely |
| *3 fresh Habanero chiles, stems & seeds | | | | chopped |
| removed, finely chopped | | | | |
| | | | *1 med yellow onion, coarsely chopped |
| *1 tablespoon Caribbean-style Habanero sauce | | | | |
| (I like Trinidad or Inner Beauty) | | | | *2 med cloves garlic, minced |
| | | | |
| *4 chicken breasts, skin removed | | | | *4 Habanero peppers, stemmed & seeded |
| | | | |
| *6 green onions, finely chopped, including | | | | *1in piece fresh ginger, peeled & coarsely |
| tops | | | | chopped |
| | | | |
| *3 cloves garlic, minced | | | | *1/3 cup dark rum |
| | | | |
| *2 tablespoons fresh-squeezed lime juice | | | | *1/3 cup fresh lime juice |
| | | | |
| *2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (I | | | | *1 tsp salt |
| substituted cilantro) | | | | |
| | | | *2 1/2 tsp honey |
| *1/2 teaspoon ground cloves (Because of a | | | | |
| personal anti-clove bias, I substituted | | | | *1/8 tsp cardamom |
| cinnamon; thanks to my dentist father, cloves | | | | |
| remind me of stinky tooth decay ...) | | | | *1/8 tsp anise |
| | | | |
| *1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper | | | | *1/8 tsp cloves |
| | | | |
| *1 egg | | | | *1/8 tsp turmeric |
| | | | |
| *1 tablespoon soy sauce | | | | *pinch of nutmeg |
| | | | |
| *Flour for dredging | | | | *pinch of cinnamon |
| | | | |
| *3 cups dry breadcrumbs | | | | *freshly ground black pepper to taste |
| | | | |
| *Vegetable oil for frying | | | | Combine all ingredients in blender and puree |
| | | | just until smooth (do not over-blend and |
| Combine the chiles, green onions, garlic, | | | | aerate). Pour into saucepan & bring to boil, |
| lime juice, parsley or cilantro, cloves (or | | | | simmer gently, uncovered for about 10 min. |
| cinnamon) and ground pepper. Cut deep gashes | | | | Remove from heat & allow to cool before |
| in the chicken and fill with the mixture. | | | | bottling. Refrigerate, Sauce will keep |
| Secure open end with a toothpick to keep the | | | | approx. 6 weeks. Makes 2 cups. |
| stuffing from falling out. | | | | |
| | | | Enjoy. |
| Beat the egg and combine with the soy sauce | | | | |