Habanero hot sauce is a fiery treat

(Red and orange habaneros can be turned into a fabulous hot sauce)

Life would be dull without hot peppers ...

— MGF

That's a quote from my husband, Michael, who loves hot peppers as much as I do.

No one else we know regularly serves roasted hot chili peppers smothered in garlic and olive oil, balsamic and a splash of Tamari as an appetizer every night before dinner. They go famously with crusty Italian bread and gorgonzola, washed down with a glass of good Italian wine.

We have turned on family and friends to this wonderful dish, and many have added it to their repertoire.
When we go out for dinner, no matter how good the food is, we always say, "Something's missing," without our hot pepper starter.

I love growing hot peppers, all kinds: long hot chilies, cayenne, jalapeno, Thai hot, serrano, tons of cherry peppers (the best for roasting and eating), even a couple bhut jolokia.
And then there are the habaneros.

These fruity little gems really pack a wallop, about 250,000 Scoville units on the Thermal Richter Scale, which measures capsaicin, the compound in peppers which makes them hot (jalapenos come in at around 7,000 units, so you get an idea how hot they are).

Habaneros really do have a distinctive flavor — one goes a long way in making a batch of salsa.

But it was years ago at a bar in Nyack (O'Donoghue's), where I got my first taste of an incredible habanero sauce made by one of the family owners.

Sam's hot haberno sauce was used to spike up bloody marys and fire up omelets. It had a revered spot on that historic bar and was frequently requested by patrons. Sam is a good friend of my brother, and he used to share bottles of his famous sauce with us around the holidays. While never fully disclosing the recipe, Sam did say it involved carrots to give it that sunny color and to soothe its fiery flavor.

In scouring the Internet, I found a recipe that makes a sauce similar to Sam's. The only difference is, it's a bit thicker than Sam's, but it can easily be diluted with a bit of water if need be.
I like the thickness, though, as it makes a nice spread for omelets or sandwiches.
Use a teaspoon in a batch of garden salsa for an incredible flavor.

Be forewarned, though; it's about a 9 on a scale of 10 when it comes to hotness.

(Return the pureed habanero/onion/carrot mixture to the skillet and simmer)

Habanero Hot Sauce

1. 12 habanero peppers, stems removed, then chopped, seeds and all
2. 1/2 cup onion, chopped
3. 2 cloves garlic, minced
4. 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
5. 1/2 cup chopped carrots
6. 1/2 cup distilled vinegar
7. 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice

(Puree the onion/carrot mixture with the raw chopped habaneros in the food processor)

• Saute the onion and garlic in oil until soft (use vegetable oil, not olive oil for this recipe); add the carrots with a small amount of water.
• Bring to boil; reduce heat and simmer until the carrots are soft (about 15 minutes).
• Scrape this mixture into the bowl of a food processor and add the raw, chopped habaneros (do not cook the peppers, leaving them raw showcases their flavor).
• Puree until smooth.
• Scrape the mixture back into the skillet and add the vinegar and lime juice. Mix well.
• Simmer for about 5 minutes.

This mixture, which yields just shy of 2 cups, will keep for months in the refrigerator.

It can also be sealed in sterilized jars following the Ball Blue Book method for canning hot sauce.

(Make sure to sterilize the jars and lids before filling them with the hot sauce)

• Wash and sterilize four half pint jars, bands and lids.
• Place the hot mixture into a jar, leaving 1/2 inch of head space.
• Wipe the rim clean.
• Place a lid and band on top, and screw shut.
• Repeat with three more half pints.
• Place the jars on a rack in the canning pot and lower into the hot water, making sure there is at least an inch or more of water covering the tops of the jars.
• Bring to a boil and let simmer for 15 minutes.
• Carefully remove from water bath and set on a towel to cool. Listen for the "pop" sound, indicating the seal has taken.

The canned sauce makes great little gifts for the holidays, for those who like a bit of spice in their lives.