Jalapeño Tequila Lime Hot Sauce

This hot sauce combines jalapeños, lime and tequila into a great condiment that gives a kick to an array of dishes.

20 whole Jalapeño Peppers
2 whole Cubanelle Peppers or other sweeter pepper
1 cup shallots, minced
1 whole medium onion
6 cloves garlic
1 whole tomato, chopped
2 pinches kosher or sea salt
2 pinches garlic powder (optional)
2 cups water
2 whole limes, freshly juiced
2 tsp. sugar
1 oz Tequila
1 cup vinegar

Seed the peppers (or half of them, or none at all, depending on how hot you want the sauce to be. The more seeds, the hotter it will be). Chop the peppers roughly - and don't forget to use gloves. Hot pepper burns are not fun.

Mince the onion, shallots and garlic finely and start sautéing in a few tsp. of oil until translucent.

Chop up the tomato and add to the onion mixture and then add a few pinches of salt and garlic powder (if you like garlic as much as I do).

Cook down for a minute or two and then add the chopped peppers along with 2 cups of water.

Cover and simmer until the peppers are cooked and soft.

Add the juice of two limes and the 2 tsp. of sugar and adjust the salt if needed.

Turn off the heat and add the oz of tequila (or a bit more if you wish).

Wait until cooled and then blend (or mush for a chunkier sauce). While blending or mushing, start adding the vinegar. Start with 1 cup, taste and add more if needed up to about 1 1/3 cups.

Store in the refrigerator.

Makes about 6 (250 mL) jars of sauce.