From Our Farm
Habanero pepper
The habanero is a small, extremely hot pepper with a bright, fruity and slightly floral flavor. Its sweetness pairs especially well with mango, pineapple, citrus, tomatoes and honey.
How it compares to Jalapeño pepper
Habaneros usually measure about 100,000–350,000 Scoville Heat Units, making them approximately 12–100 times hotter than a typical jalapeño. Unlike a mild bell pepper, which has no heat, even a small amount of habanero can make an entire dish intensely spicy.
Storage & handling
- Wear food-safe gloves when cutting habaneros.
- Avoid touching your eyes, face or skin while handling them.
- Wash the knife, cutting board and work surface thoroughly afterward.
- Removing the pale inner membrane can reduce some heat, although the pepper will remain very spicy.
- Ventilate the kitchen when cooking several habaneros because the fumes may irritate the eyes and throat.
3 Ways to Cook Habanero pepper
Mango Habanero SalsaA sweet, fruity and spicy salsa for tacos, grilled fish, chicken, vegetables or tortilla chips.+
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 1 small white onion, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped
- 2 cups diced fresh mango
- 1 cup chopped Roma tomatoes
- 1 habanero pepper, seeded and finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 1/2 teaspoons honey
- 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Put on gloves before handling the habanero. Remove its stem and pale inner membrane, then finely chop it.
- Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat.
- Add the onion and garlic. Cook for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion becomes soft.
- Add the mango, tomatoes, habanero, lemon juice, honey, chili powder and salt.
- Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for approximately 10 minutes.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and allow the mixture to cool slightly.
- Transfer the mixture to a blender and pulse until combined while retaining some texture.
- Stir in the cilantro. Serve immediately or refrigerate in a covered container.
Recipe adapted from National Mango Board
Quick Habanero Hot SauceA bright, vinegary hot sauce with carrot, garlic and lime. Use it a few drops at a time on eggs, tacos, chicken, beans or grilled vegetables.+
Ingredients
- 8–10 fresh habanero peppers
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled
- 1 medium carrot, roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup white-wine vinegar or apple-cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 1 teaspoon honey, optional
Instructions
- Put on gloves. Remove the habanero stems. Remove some of the pale inner membrane if you want to reduce the heat.
- Place the habaneros, garlic, carrot, water and salt in a small saucepan.
- Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat.
- Cover the saucepan and cook for 10–12 minutes, or until the carrot is tender.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and let the mixture cool for at least 5 minutes.
- Carefully transfer the vegetables and cooking liquid to a blender. Never tightly blend extremely hot liquid.
- Add the vinegar and lime juice.
- Blend until completely smooth, beginning on low speed and gradually increasing the speed.
- Taste a tiny amount. Add the optional honey if the sauce is sharper than desired, and adjust the salt.
- Strain the sauce for a thinner consistency or leave it unstrained for a thicker sauce.
- Transfer it to a clean bottle and refrigerate immediately.
Recipe adapted from Know the Pepper
Refrigerator Habanero Pepper JellyA sweet-and-spicy jelly that can be served over cream cheese, spread on crackers or used as a glaze for chicken, pork or salmon.+
Ingredients
- 8–10 habanero peppers, finely minced
- 6 1/2 cups white sugar
- 1 1/2 cups white vinegar
- 6 ounces liquid pectin
- A small pinch of salt
Instructions
- Put on gloves and ventilate the kitchen before preparing the peppers.
- Remove the pepper stems. For less heat, remove the pale inner membranes before finely mincing the peppers.
- Combine the minced habaneros, sugar, vinegar and salt in a nonreactive saucepan.
- Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes, stirring carefully.
- Strain the liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean saucepan. Press gently to extract the liquid, then discard the solids.
- Stir in the liquid pectin.
- Bring the mixture to a full boil and cook for 1 minute while stirring continuously.
- Remove it from the heat and let it cool for 5 minutes.
- Carefully pour the hot jelly into clean jars, leaving approximately 1/4 inch of space at the top.
- Close the jars, let them cool and refrigerate overnight so the jelly can set.
Recipe adapted from Chili Pepper Madness
Want Habanero pepper in your box?
Every Belle Nature CSA box is grown in Farmington, MN, harvested within 24 hours of delivery, and comes with recipes like these. Reserve your 12-week farm share for the Twin Cities.
A CSA farm in Farmington, MN delivering farm-fresh, seasonal vegetable boxes across Minneapolis, St. Paul & the Twin Cities metro.
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