Habenero Chile Butter

This butter is lovely as a spread for sandwiches, in pasta or as a garnish for a juicy steak. I especially like it on whole grain bagels.

8 Tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 fresh Habanero chiles
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1-½ Tbsp. blossom honey
½ tsp. sea salt

Pick fully ripened, extremely red chiles. Wash them. Pat them dry using paper towels. Trim the stems.

Depending on the spiciness, you can remove the seeds or not. This time, I removed the seeds (don't forget to wear disposable gloves). Roughly chop them.

Blend the Habanero chiles, salt and garlic in a mini-prep with about 10 pulses. It should turn into a purée.

This step is optional: Strain the purée through a medium-sized sieve.

Cream the butter with honey (if used). Add the chile mixture.

Transfer to a butter crock (or a ramekin that you seal with plastic wrap).

Let the butter stand at room temperature (covered) for about 30 minutes before using it (to allow the flavors to develop and blend together).

Makes ½ cup.

Cook's Note: You can store the flavored butter for up to 2 days (3 days at the most) in the refrigerator.  The quantity of chiles varies with the level of heat. Make sure to test the spiciness of the chiles by biting a piece prior to flavoring the butter. Keep in mind that Habanero is the hottest pepper in the world. Anaheim and Serrano are relatively midly hot. Scotch bonnets would work as well. On the other hand, if you can't handle spicy food, you could use red bell peppers or eggplant pulp instead.  When adjusting the flavor of the butter, you might want to add a floral honey to balance the spiciness if necessary.