Aussie Pepper Update Thread

[Grub]

OK. No worries. Due for another measurement.

I'll take a pic tomorrow and post the latest.

I went out there two days after this pic was taken and it was the same length, so I thought I was too keen.

But they're bound to be longer now.

Thanks for the reminder. I'm betting it wil be 5cm (2in)longer

[Mantis]

Hi folks. My Big Jim did not grow any more length in the week we were away. Might need another boost of go juice.

[Grub]

Red Cheese, a sweet one, is so red you almost need to wear sunglasses when you pick it.

[shelleybean]

Good, that's what I wanted to hear. I'm looking forward to Red Cheese.

[Grub]

Just for you Shell-Belle...

http://www.feldoncentral.com/garden/...heese.JPG.html

[shelleybean]

Thank you! I'm glad you posted that picture. It's not as ruffled as Sheepnose but looks like it might be a wee bit larger. It also seems to be a different shade of red from what we usually see. Cool! I'm looking forward to it!

[Mantis]

My orange hab has grown into a big bush and is loading up with fruit. I will try your hab sauce in a few weeks Grub. It sounds good but also sounds like it should be used with care eh.
My red habs outside are still very small plants. Might dig em up later in the autumn and replant them in the greenhouse. Yep, thats a plan.

[Grub]

i just bought a new blender to also give it a go... and i found this recipe in my saved files...

Raging Bull Brown Saucew
This is a rich, fruity brown sauce with a sweet, deep and complex flavour. There's heat, but I'd rate this one as "Medium", on a par with Thai sweet Chilli sauce (although not the way I make sweet chilli sauce!)

What I mean is you can use it safely by the dollop or spoonful.

I like it a lot, so does Sixsprings... hell even Mrs K will touch it, which for chilli sauces is an unusual thing! For those coming to the Lincoln meet on Sunday, I'll have a batch ready for you to try!

It works wonders on eggs, cheese sandwiches, sausages, burgers, jacket spuds... I use it where I'd consider using brown or barbecue sauce.

A note about seeds... I deseed peppers when making this, because leaving them in results in a gritty texture that's not ideal for this sauce. If you want it hotter, use larger amounts of hotter chillis! I dread to think what'd happen if you made this with a dozen Nagas... but I'll let you know when I make a batch next year...

Makes 600ml (20 US FlOz)

You need:

2 large red jalapenos*
3 red habaneros*
7 regular cloves garlic (or 5 large...)
200g White onion (although you can use red)
200ml Balsamic vinegar (a cheap one is fine)
50g prunes
50g sultanas
15ml non-virgin olive oil (or light frying oil)
40ml Black treacle
a 440g can of peaches in grape juice (yield of roughly 240g when drained)
1 tsp salt

What to do:
01. Peel and finely chop the onion and garlic.
02. Destem, deseed and roughly chop the peppers.
03. Quarter the prunes.
04. Drain the canned peaches and chop them up into small manageable chunks.
05. Measure out the balsamic vinegar into 2x75ml and 1x50ml batches.
06. Add the oil to a hot pan, then chuck in the onions and garlic. Turn the heat down and slam on a lid. Allow them to sweat for 5-10 minutes until translucent. You don't want them to burn though.
07. Throw in a 75ml measure of balsamic vinegar, the treacle and the dried fruit. Simmer for a further 15 minutes, stirring every once in a while
08. Once the mush in the pan looks uniformly dark and foreboding and the dried fruit has begun to break down; add the peaches, peppers and salt.
09. Stir in until well mixed, then lob in the second 75ml quantity of balsamic vinegar
10. Bring to the boil and simmer for a further 20 minutes, stirring occasionally so nothing on the bottom burns. Buirning treacle is unpleasant!
11. Remove from the heat and blend everything until you're left with a homogenous, viscous consistency.
12. Pour the remaining 50ml of balsamic vinegar back into the pan, then add the sauce
13. Return the pan to a gentle heat and stir in the remaining vinegar until an even consistency is obtained. Allow the mixture to return to the boil, but be aware, it will spit if the heat it too fierce.
14. Pour contents into sterile glass SCREW TOP bottles (using a funnel, ideally) using a teaspoon to clear any clogs.
15. Screw the lids on tight and allow to cool before use. Once open refridgerate and use within 4 weeks.

This has to be the best sauce I've come up with for its range of uses and generic appeal.

*Note: The actual chillis I use tend to vary depending on what's ripe... the last three-litre batch I made had 11 Jalapenos, 13 Antillais Caribbean, 3 Hot Lemon and 2 Fataliis in it...

[Mantis]

Originally Posted by Grub

Spicy Spatz,

The orange habs are very hot, but bearable if you don't eat the membrane and seeds. I use just one to spice-up a homemade salsa to the desired piquancy. Least that is what I did last year. No toms just yet.

But by all accounts Orange Habs. are even better for making an orange-coloured hot sauce. I plan to do this and, when the mood strikes, splash some on barbecued sausages, corn on the cob, grilled chicken or chilli con carne.

Most recipes are variations on that below, however, many prefer to add a can (inc. syrup) of mango slices and/or peach slices for a fruitier BBQ-type sauce. And, of course, you can use fresh fruit, too. Like in this recipe... http://www.graffi.to/hotsauce2004.html

Play with the following...


Habanero Sauce

12 habaneros chopped, stems removed
1/2 c chopped carrot
1/2 c chopped onion
3 cloves garlic minced
1 t vegetable oil
1/2 c white vinegar
1/4 c fresh lime juice

Saute the onion and the garlic in the oil until soft. Add carrots and 1/2 cup water. Simmer until carrots are tender.

Place carrot mixture and habaneros in a blender puree until smooth. Combine puree with vinegar and lime simmer for 5 minutes over low heat to combine flavors, strain into sterilized bottles, can be kept for up to 1 year. Is a rather toxic orange colour and very hot. Use sparingly

That sauce in the link looks good as well. With those ingredients it should have some good flavours with the heat. Have you tried that one Grub??

[Grub]

Nah, haven't tried any of them but I saved them coz the posters were raving about them...

Here's another one that sounded great... I think I will make this one. I bought the American mustard and mangoes are in season.


This is the basic recipe I use for my habañero sauce. I found it on the web, but I modify it for my own taste. You can find mango in cans (tins) if you can't find good fresh ones - a good fresh one should have a strong aroma. I also add some canned pineapple. Adjust the amount of peppers to your taste. This being an american recipe, chile powder means "mexican chile powder" which can mean almost anything. It's usually a mix of several different kinds of chiles may have cumin, oregano, etc. I skip that ingredient, you can add other chiles (fresh, powdered) to your desired taste.
The curry is important - I use a Madras style curry powder - go to your local Indian grocery and buy some good stuff - it needn't be hot, its the aroma you want. The cheap mustard is a good part of the taste - don't buy Dijon, get a big bottle of the bright yellow stuff.
You can put everything into a blender, or if you don't have one use a "Mouli" hand grinder. It's advisable to wear rubber gloves, unless you like to have your hands burning for 3 days.
Keep in mind this was written years ago, and is NOT the hottest sauce in America. It's really good though. It tastes pretty mild and a little sweet, but then you notice your scalp is wet. I like it - your tastes may vary. The key is to improvise, and taste it while you're making it and adjust appropriately - sweeter, hotter saltier, etc.

-----------------------------------------------------------


Home-Style Inner Beauty Hot Sauce

12 Fresh habañero chiles -- roughly chopped, seeded
1 Ripe mango -- peel, pit, mash
1 c Cheap yellow prepared mustard
1/4 c Brown sugar -- packed
1/4 c White vinegar
1 tb Prepared curry powder
1 tb Ground cumin
1 tb Chili powder
Salt and freshly cracked
Black pepper -- to taste

This style of hot sauce, widely used in the West Indies, is
basically habañero peppers (also known as Scotch Bonnets),
fruit, and yellow mustard, with a few other ingredien eyes, or mouth while working
with habañeros. You may actually want to wear rubber gloves
while chopping and mixing -- these babies are powerful.

Recipe By: Big Flavors Of The Hot Sun by Schlesinger &
Willoughby

[Grub]

One last one... substitute double the amount of habs...

Naga 'Snake Bite' Sauce™?

This is a sauce recipe which we have perfected. It is positively nuclear and certainly not for the faint hearted. Extreme care should be taken when handling Naga pods. If you touch somewhere 'sensitive' after handling these peppers, Hunan hand will be the least of your worries!! The high percentage of both acetic and citric acids in this recipe helps to kill bacteria and keeps the sauce from spoiling. Remember to sterilize jars in boiling water before filling.

What you need (for 3 medium sized jars):
4 Naga Morich chiles
1 tin of plum tomatoes
1 large onion - finely chopped
3 cloves garlic - minced
2 table spoons of extra virgin olive oil
1 large carrot - diced
Half cup of distilled vinegar
1 large lime (juice)
1 small mango - peeled, pit and mashed
Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions
Saute the onions and garlic in the oil until soft and lightly browned. Add the carrots and tomatoes with a small amount of water. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the carrots are soft.

Add the mango, limejuice, vinegar and the finely chopped Naga's. Let the mixture simmer for 5 minutes to combined the flavours. Blender the mixture to a smooth puree and leave it to stand for a few more minutes to cool. Strain the puree into sterile jars and seal.

thechileman would love to make this new hot sauce and other 'Naga' Products available for others to try. If you can help us, contact us at thechileman@hotmail.co.uk

[Mantis]

I love the growth habit of the habs. I am thinking houseplants They would look better than a lot of the bedraggled things I am looking at at the moment.

[Grub]

That's great news Mantis coz there are oodles of habs to try. I'll be sure to save seeds for you from my Chocolate Hab. which is now setting fruit and catching up to the Orange Hab.

[Grub]

That's great news Mantis coz there are oodles of habs to try. I'll be sure to save seeds for you from my Chocolate Hab. which is now setting fruit and catching up to the Orange Hab.

I also have a plant, a seedling at this stage, that's reportedly a delicious Hab. with that distinct flavour but with zero heat

[Mantis]

Got some good chilli sauces from the Melbourne show last year. One called Funnelweb Bite rates 8/10 for heat and is very good. They don't give out recipes of course but I am sure some of the recipes you have gived will be as good or better. I am keen to try the one with the Mango , mustard and curry etc. Sounds and looks good.