Appetizers

Pawpaw Pepper Sauce

Makes 2 1/2 Cups

Many people keep their own homemade hot sauce on hand or at least a favorite commercial sauce. Jamaicans use it like ketchup. This sauce is spicy, yet flavorful, and simple to prepare. The pawpaw sweetens and texturizes the vegetable base and provides a gentle palette for the robust Scotch bonnet peppers.

INGREDIENTS

3 carrots, peeled
1 choco (chayote), peeled and pitted, or 1 medium cucumber, peeled and seeded
6 Scotch bonnet peppers (any color)
1 small or 1/2 large pawpaw (papaya), peeled and seeded
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1/3 cup white vinegar
3/4 cup water

DIRECTIONS

Place the carrots and choco in a food processor or blender. Blend until pulverized. Remove the stems from the Scotch bonnet peppers and add the peppers to the carrots and choco. Blend until the mixture is an even consistency. Add the pawpaw, continuing to blend until you have a uniform texture.
Place the mixture in a noncorrosive saucepan. Add the salt, brown sugar, vinegar, and water. Bring it to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low and cover. Simmer it for 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool completely. Place in small bottles or jars. Keep it refrigerated.

pantry

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