HABANERO-SWEET POTATO HOT SAUCE

This spicy, sweet, tangy hot sauce is so addictive you'll find yourself having it with everything! And the colour is so pretty too.

I first had this hot sauce at the incredible Cochon in New Orleans a few weeks ago. And since then I was a bit obsessed. It was so utterly delicious with enough spice, sweetness, and tang to want it over and over, that I had my muffaletta practically doused in it. As a parting gesture, I photographed the ingredients on the label (they sell bottles at the restaurant and also have the same bottles at each table).

Well I came home and couldn't get it out of my mind, so I looked at the photo with the ingredients and created a version of it. I must say this is pretty darn close to the Cochon version, with a bit more spice and a slightly thicker texture so that I can use it as a dip and a spread. And now I always have some in the fridge!

I've made it with sweet potatoes of all colours - white, yellow, orange, and they're all terrific! So use any type of sweet potato that is available to you. And if you don't have apple cider vinegar, use distilled and adjust the sugar to balance the taste.

Habanero-Sweet Potato Hot Sauce

makes: 16 oz./2 cups

- 2 medium sweet potatoes, washed and unpeeled

- 4 habanero peppers, cut into large pieces (remove the seeds from two if you want to tone the spice down a bit)

- 3 cloves garlic, cut into large pieces

- 1/2 white or yellow onion, cut into large pieces

- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

- 1/2 cup distilled vinegar

- 1-1/2 tbsp. sugar

- 1 tsp. salt (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
2. Place the sweet potatoes on a baking tray and bake for 40 - 50 min. until a knife slides easily into the sweet potatoes. Remove from the oven and let cool.
3. In a small pan, bring the distilled vinegar to a simmer. Add the garlic, onion, and habanero and simmer until the onion is mostly softened, 5 - 7 min. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
4. Put the peeled sweet potatoes, vinegar mixture, apple cider vinegar, sugar, and salt (if using) in a blender jar and blend until smooth. You may need to thin with apple cider vinegar, 1 tbsp. at a time, to help blend well.
5. Taste and adjust sugar if needed. Transfer to a jar and store in the fridge for a few weeks.
6. Enjoy with eggs, tamales, sandwiches, burgers, empanadas, steak, chicken, pizza... whatever you please!

SKINNY DIPPING: FETA, TANGERINE, AND HERB DIP

I'm not quite Marcel Duchamp, but this recipe is a bit like art with found objects. Objects you find in your fridge or pantry, that want to be seen in a new perspective. Objets trouvés, of a different kind.

It takes all of 5 minutes to put together, not counting the time to dig through the fridge and cupboards for the ingredients. I had some feta in the fridge that I didn't really like on its own with anything, so I figured I'll dress it up a bit with parsley, tangerine juice, and seasonings. Then I also saw a grapefruit and I thought, hmmm...

You can use cilantro if you want, or dill, as long as you're using fresh herbs because the herb-y flavour should really come through. Vary the proportions to what you have on hand. The important thing is to combine flavours that work well together.

Feta, Orange, and Herb Dip
Makes: approx. 1 cup

- 3/4 cups feta cheese
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley
- 1 tbsp dried or fresh rosemary
- 1 clove garlic, peeled
- 2 tsp. red or black pepper
- 1/3 cup tangerine and/or grapefruit juice (juice from 1 tangerine, 1/2 grapefruit)

1. In this order put the: feta, parsley, garlic, pepper, and juice in a blender. Blend till smooth. 
2. Serve with crackers, pita, crostini, crudités, roasted vegetables, as a sandwich spread, or tossed with pasta.

GO NUTS: HOMEMADE ALMOND BUTTER

You guys have to make this make itself! Because that's what almond butter does. It makes itself. (Sorry, the photos are a bit rubbish, but I was too eager to make the almond butter so I could have it in my smoothie that evening.)

It's heavenly on toast but get creative... on ice cream, on waffles, as a dip mixed with cinnamon, honey and cocoa powder, as a savoury dip mixed with roasted garlic, lemon, salt, chili powder, cinnamon, and whatever other spices you want, orrrr just by the spoonful!

Just make it, and it'll inspire you to get creative with it.

Almond Butter

Makes: 2 cups

- 2 cups dry-roasted almonds (I use 50% Less Salt dry-roasted almonds from Trader Joe's)

- food processor

1. Put the almonds in the food processor.

2. Start the food processor.
3. Stop-and-go till you get almond butter, loosening the almond meal/paste from the sides as needed.
4. The almonds will go through a few stages - chopped, ground, pasty, smooth (almond butter).
5. If you're adding honey, spices or other things, add them when the almonds are pasty, or just before removing the almond butter from the food processor.
6. Enjoy!

Notes:
1. Raw almonds, like all raw nuts and seeds, are quite heavy on the digestive system and I don't recommend using them for almond butter or for eating.
2. Blanched or sprouted (soak almonds for 12 - 24 hours in water) almonds would work if you dry them completely first.
3. To dry: put the wet almonds on a towel to "surface-dry", transfer to a pan/baking sheet and let them air-dry in a single layer.