Main course Contemporary
Fiery red pepper sauce with orange, ginger and redcurrants
A spicy sauce of simmered red peppers, chillies and redcurrants, blended until smooth with orange and ginger. Tart fruit and vinegar balance the peppers' sweetness, while smoked paprika adds depth. Serve with roasted vegetables, meat or sandwiches.
Ingredients
4 servings · metric units
For a larger batch, use a wider saucepan and blend in batches. Simmering and reducing may take longer. Add chillies cautiously, as their heat varies.
You’ll need
Heavy-based saucepan with a lid · Knife and chopping board · Fine grater · Citrus juicer · Spoon or spatula · Jug blender suitable for warm liquids · Clean, scalded wide-necked bottle with a lid, suitable for hot filling · Funnel
Method
0/7 stepsPrepare the ingredients
Wash the peppers and chillies, remove their stalks and seed cores, then finely dice the flesh. Leave some of the pale chilli membranes if you want a hotter sauce. Peel and chop the onion and garlic. Peel and finely grate the ginger. Wash the orange, finely grate its zest without the white pith, then squeeze out the juice; keep the zest and juice separate. Rinse fresh redcurrants and strip them from their stalks. Do not thaw frozen redcurrants.
Prepare the ingredients Soften the onion
Heat 1–2 tbsp of olive oil or coconut oil in the saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onion and a pinch of salt. Cook for 3–4 minutes, stirring, until softened and slightly translucent but not browned.
04:00Soften the onion Add the aromatics
Add the garlic, ginger, all the reserved orange zest and ½ tsp of smoked paprika. Cook for 30–40 seconds, stirring constantly. The spices should smell fragrant and the garlic should remain pale.
Add the aromatics Simmer until tender
Add the red peppers, chillies and redcurrants. Pour in all the reserved orange juice and the vinegar, choosing an amount within the listed range. Stir and bring to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook over a low heat for 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally. The peppers should break apart easily under a spoon, and the redcurrants should burst and release their juice. Cook for longer if the peppers are still firm.
20:00Simmer until tender Blend until smooth
Take the pan off the heat and allow the contents to cool briefly. Transfer to a blender approved by its manufacturer for warm liquids, keeping below its fill limit. Vent steam as directed by the appliance instructions; never blend hot sauce in a sealed jug. Start on a low speed, then increase it and blend to a completely smooth purée with no noticeable pieces of skin or fruit. Work in batches if needed.
Blend until smooth Balance the flavour and consistency
Pour the sauce back into the saucepan. Add cane sugar or honey, starting at the lower end of the listed range. Warm gently, stirring until dissolved. Taste a small, cooled spoonful and season with salt and black pepper; add the remaining amount of your chosen sweetener if needed. The sauce should be distinctly hot and tangy, with noticeable sweetness. If too thick, add water a little at a time. If too thin, simmer uncovered for 3–5 minutes, stirring frequently. The finished sauce should coat a spoon but flow freely from it in a thick stream.
Balance the flavour and consistency Bottle and chill
Using a funnel, pour the hot sauce into a warm, scalded wide-necked bottle suitable for hot filling. Leave a little space below the lid. After brief cooling, close and refrigerate within 2 hours of cooking. Hot filling alone does not make the sauce safe to store at room temperature. Serve as an accompaniment; chilling will allow the flavours to mingle and the sauce to thicken slightly.
Bottle and chill
Tips
- Wear gloves when cutting habaneros and avoid touching your face. Removing the pale inner membranes reduces the heat more than removing the seeds alone.
- Grate only the orange part of the peel. The white pith beneath can make the sauce bitter.
- Check that there is liquid in the bottom of the pan during simmering. If the vegetables start to catch, add a splash of water rather than increasing the heat.
- The sauce will thicken slightly as it chills. Stir it or shake the closed bottle before serving.
Storage
This sauce must be refrigerated; it is not a shelf-stable preserve. After bottling, allow it to cool briefly, close the bottle and refrigerate within 2 hours of cooking. Use within 3–4 days. Alternatively, freeze the fully cooled sauce in small containers, leaving room for expansion, for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge.
Timing
Hands-on: 25 min · Cooking: 30 min