CLARE O'MEARA

This is a recipe created by some dear friends in Airlie Beach many years ago and is my adaption of the original one.  You can add as many chillies as you can stand, up to you.  Being a chilli fanatic I go full throttle with the amount.  For extra zing, a pinch of the sauce can be added to many dishes such as pizza, Bolognese or napolitana sauces, scrambled eggs or anything your imagine comes up with.  Add a few teaspoons to a cup of natural yoghurt as an accompaniment to fish and chicken or for the vegetarians, smothered on top of roasted vegetables (particularly eggplant) is also very tasty. If you are a chilli fan, you will use this in everything. Even if you aren’t a chilli fan you will still like this sauce, I promise you.

Ingredients:

Birds Eyes Chillies (depending on the heat factor you can stand – I used 500g, that’s heaps)

4 ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped

2 brown onions, roughly chopped

2 red capsicum, roughly chopped

2 cups white vinegar

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp coconut sugar (or brown sugar)

Sea Salt

Method:

1. Place all ingredients in a blender (not olive oil and brown sugar) you will have to do this in two batches and blend well.

2. Heat oil in a heavy based saucepan and add the blended mixture, bring to the boil slowly and let bubble away for a while.

3. Reduce heat to a simmer, add the brown sugar and cook uncovered  for several hours. *

The sauce will begin to change colour to a lovely deep, vibrant, orangey red and at this point turn the heat off, cover and let the sauce rest over night.  Put into sterilized jars and it will last for a few months refrigerated.

* Make sure the kitchen is well ventilated during this time as the brewing chilli aroma will be strong!