Hello Gangster. Goodbye Grandma.
That’s right, my love for all things hot and spicy has slowly but surely come back to me – Which, makes me extremely happy. Because let’s face it – nothing more shameful than pulling a jar of ‘extra-mild’ salsa off the shelf. Duck. Grab. Run.
So, with my spice tolerance in tack, I recently found myself falling head over heals for a jar of Spicy Habanero Relish in my parents fridge. Now, it wasn’t exactly a fermented relish, as it was vinegar based – but let’s just say, vinegar or no vinegar, it was the jam. And, I couldn’t stop eating it. Sure, it burned a bit – but only in the best way possible.
Obviously it goes without saying, that the following recipe is my fermented interpretation. Is it as good? Well, I think it needs some tweaking – i.e., a bit more sweetness. But, it is hella spicy – and would be delicious layered with a nut cheese of some sort. (See leek and herb cheese for basic nut cheese).
I didn’t measure anything, but here are the ingredients – adjust accordingly. Also, if you are without a starter culture, increase your salt and massage vigorously. I’d also recommend massaging the cabbage solo and then add the remaining ingredients (just to protect nails, skin, etc… from spicy peppers).
Spicy Habanero Relish
- habanero peppers
- serrano pepper
- onion
- cabbage
- tomatillos
- sweetener of sort (I used date paste, could use honey as well)
- celery seed
- salt
- culture of choice – I used a few Tbsp’s of juice from a Kim Chi I have in my refrigerator.
For assembly, follow my guide to fermenting Sauerkraut. The basic steps, including packing, are much the same.
Hope everyone had a glorious holiday weekend. Mine was spent back home for my cousin’s wedding in Herman, MO – It was beautiful and I’m so happy for the two of them! We LOVE our newest family member!
