Chilli Paste – straight from the garden and ready to use year round! I have to say, growing your own fresh produce is really rewarding, until you kill something and then have to replace it with another plant (yep, I’ve done that a few times!).
I’d like to thank my mate Dave for his own recipe for Chilli Paste which I have changed slightly to suit our needs – nevertheless, it’s a great paste – thank you Dave!!
So, some time back, Dave tells me about this chilli paste he makes with all the chilli he grows and was saying that he always has fresh chilli in the fridge, ready to use.
Fast forward a few years, “Dave, that chilli sauce you used to make – I made some when you first told me about it, and we have just finished off the jar – how do you make it again?”
So Dave gave me his version – mine is a bit different but still based on the same kind of principals.
The chilli which I have here is a medium heat one – you can use whatever you can get locally in season (or out of your garden).
Wash the chilli and then cut off the ends.
Trim them into smaller pieces and then put them into a heavy based saucepan. Cover them with Apple Cider vinegar (Dave used just normal vinegar, but I am after all a bit of a rebel). Add about a tablespoon of sugar and a sprinkling of salt.
On a medium to low heat, gently simmer the chilli and vinegar until the liquid only just covers the base of the pan – this is why you need a really low heat so that it doesn’t burn – keep an eye on it!
Once the liquid has reduced, it should look something like this – see how the chilli is shiny and wet, but there’s just about no liquid left in the pan? Remove from the heat and let it cool.
Once the mixture has cooled, blitz it using a hand blender, NutriBullet, food processor or whatever blending appliance you have. Add a little olive oil to the mix to obtain a smooth consistency – the oil will help keep it preserved in the fridge.
Store in a glass container in the fridge – after putting into the jar, add a little extra oil to the jar to seal the top of the mixture.
See how this has changed colour – this is after it was blended.
