For many in the Caribbean, hot sauce is part of everyday life. While locals in Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana are hardened to the punch of scorpion, wiri wiri or scotch bonnet peppers, I have more than once made the mistake of drizzling chilli-based condiments a little too liberally on my food. The citrus in my lime and pepper sauce offsets the intensity of the chilli, making it more palatable for the hot sauce-averse yet still delicious for existing fans. It goes really well with this Caribbean play on beans on toast.
Mackerel and beans (pictured top)
For vegans, just omit the mackerel.
Prep 10 min
Cook 10 min
Serves 2
1 tsp coconut oil
½ white onion, chopped
1 bell pepper (I like to use ½ a red one and ½ green), deseeded and chopped
1 scotch bonnet pepper, deseeded and chopped
1 handful cherry tomatoes, chopped
1 x 400g can baked beans
1 x 125g can mackerel fillets in oil, drained and halved lengthways
½ tsp all-purpose seasoning (optional)
Salt and black pepper, to taste
Hard dough (AKA hardo), or sourdough, to serve (optional)
Put the oil in a frying pan on a medium heat. Add the onion, fry for two to three minutes, stirring occasionally, then add the all-purpose seasoning if using, the pepper, scotch bonnet and tomatoes, and cook for another two to three minutes, until softened. Add the baked beans, stir, then cook for a few minutes until the sauce starts to bubble a little.
Stir in the mackerel, turn the heat to low, cover the pan and simmer for five minutes, until heated through. Take off the lid, season with salt and black pepper to taste. Serve with Caribbean-style hardo bread or good sourdough and the following hot sauce to taste.
Lime and pepper sauce
Wear gloves when handling this number of peppers. Handle the jar with care, too, and wash your hands afterwards.
Prep 5 min
Cook 5 min
Makes About 250ml
1 lime
1 tbsp sea salt
10 scotch bonnet peppers, stems removed, pith and seeds discarded if you prefer less heat
10 garlic cloves, peeled (optional)
80ml white-wine vinegar
Put the lime and salt in a small saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, let it bubble for 30–60 seconds, then turn off the heat. Lift out the lime, drain it and leave to cool, then zest and juice it.
Wearing rubber gloves, cut the scotch bonnets in half and put them in the jug of a blender or food processor. Add the garlic, if using, salt, lime juice and zest, and vinegar, then pulse until completely smooth.
Decant into a sterilised jar, seal and store in a cool, dark place or in the fridge for up to two months. Shake thoroughly before use. Add a few drops to enhance any savoury dish.
