Friday, September 5, 2014

Habenero Relish and a Garden Update

This is my third year experimenting with gardening, and it is by far my best year--especially if you are in the market for Habenero peppers. My brandywine tomatoes are impressing me slowly, but surely, and my Roma tomatoes are doing ok. My beefeaters? Not the best. My tomato plants loved the weather this summer and destroyed the trellises that were supposed to help them stand up and keep the tomatoes off the ground. Before I could make adjustments, it was past the point of no return and the beefeaters took the biggest hit. Although I wanted to be drowning in tomatoes, I am sure I have made back the $$ in homegrown produce vs. the price of the plant, and again, I have learned a lot. Harvest season is not over yet, and I still have a lot of green tomatoes I am waiting on.

My Habenero plant is in a large pot (to control the size of the plant) and I still have more peppers than I know what to do with. Apparently, it is common knowledge that Habenero's are warmer than jalapeno peppers, but I didn't learn that until Stephen and I managed to choke down a pretty disastrous quiche. I can't add them to things the way I do jalapenos. 

I needed to do something with my prize Habenero pepper crop, so to Pinterest I went. I found a Habenero Relish here. I think the vinegar is what distinguishes it from a salsa, but I am not 100% well-versed in salsa vs. relish issues. 

I generally followed the recipe, although I used a red onion I had on hand and added a few stalks of celery that were looking a bit sad in the crisper drawer in the name of thriftiness. After softening all the veggies and adding the vinegar, I poured the mixture into a mason jar to chill and later that day, spread it on some grilled hot dogs in honor of Labor Day. Excellent flavor, with a kick that doesn't overwhelm.


P.S. Stephen has also been eating it on tortilla chips and crackers. So, if you want, call it a salsa.