The garden is finally starting to produce produce! Lots of tomatoes are coming in – nothing quite ready to pick – along with a ton of eggplants – also not ready, yet – but peppers and green beans have really taken off! We’re harvesting every couple of days!
Victor went out and picked a slew of peppers yesterday, so I decided a pepper relish was in order. We still have a couple bottles of the Buena Mulata Hot Sauce I made last season, so something new was in order.
My first thought was something along the lines of Happy Hal’s Jalapeño Relish. I first tried Happy Hal’s back in 2008 when the then-owner brought some in to Trader Joe’s hoping we could sell it. Even though we couldn’t, he gave me a jar. The rest, as they say, is history… I ended up updating their website and becoming a real fan.
16 years later, I’m on the opposite side of the country but still remembering how good it was…
Time to play.
This recipe can be used for any peppers you like – and at any heat level. I used Buena Mulata, – an heirloom cayenne pepper, an Italian Long Hot, and several Violet Sparkle peppers – a sweet pepper with tons of flavor.
Hot Pepper Relish
- 3 cups chopped peppers
- 3/4 cup white wine-type vinegar (I used a prosecco vinegar)
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup finely chopped onion
- 2 tsp mustard seeds
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Bring all ingredients to a boil in a medium saucepan. Stir, reduce heat, and simmer for about 30 minutes to reduce liquid.
Place in jar or container and refrigerate after cooling.
It will keep for months – not that you’ll be able to keep it around that long!
It really does go with everything – from topping a hot dog to mixing into a hollandaise sauce for a spicy elegant twist.
Let your imagination run wild!