Scotch Bonnet Hot Sauce

Preparation Combine the chiles, pepper, zest, garlic, 2 tablespoons of the cordial, and 2 teaspoons of the salt in a blender. Pulse until coarsely ground. Transfer to an airtight container and let stand in a warm place for at least 12 hours and up to 1 day to ferment. Pour the mixture into the blender and add the vinegar, remaining 1/2 tablespoon cordial, and remaining 2 teaspoons salt. Blend until very smooth. Strain through a medium-mesh sieve, pressing on the solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the solids. Stir in the guar gum until dissolved. (If using the cornstarch, bring the sauce to a boil and stir in the cornstarch mixture. Cook until thickened, about 1 minute, then let cool to room temperature.) The sauce can be covered and refrigerated for up to 1 week. noteScotch bonnet peppers are among the hottest in the world—and they make this sauce simply amazing. To tone down the heat, you must remove the seeds. And you must wear rubber or latex gloves while doing it. You'll regret it if you do this bare-handed. Reprinted with permission from Home Cooking with Jean-Georges: My Favorite Simple Recipes by Jean-Georges Vongerichten with Genevieve Ko. Copyright © 2011 by Jean-Georges Vongerichten; photographs copyright © 2011 by John Kernick. Published by Clarkson Potter/Publishers, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved. Jean-Georges Vongerichten is one of the most influential chefs in the world, having single-handedly redefined haute French cuisine, lightening and refining it by adding select Asian accents. He is the chef-owner of dozens of restaurants in fourteen cities around the world. His flagship restaurant, Jean Georges, at New York's Columbus Circle, is one of six restaurants in the United States to have been awarded three coveted Michelin stars; it received four stars from the New York Times. The winner of multiple James Beard Foundation awards, he lives in New York City and Waccabuc, New York, with his family. Genevieve Ko is a cookbook author and the senior food editor at Good Housekeeping magazine. She has written for Martha Stewart Living, Gourmet, and Fine Cooking and lives in New York City with her family.

Preparation Combine the chiles, pepper, zest, garlic, 2 tablespoons of the cordial, and 2 teaspoons of the salt in a blender. Pulse until coarsely ground. Transfer to an airtight container and let stand in a warm place for at least 12 hours and up to 1 day to ferment. Pour the mixture into the blender and add the vinegar, remaining 1/2 tablespoon cordial, and remaining 2 teaspoons salt. Blend until very smooth. Strain through a medium-mesh sieve, pressing on the solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the solids. Stir in the guar gum until dissolved. (If using the cornstarch, bring the sauce to a boil and stir in the cornstarch mixture. Cook until thickened, about 1 minute, then let cool to room temperature.) The sauce can be covered and refrigerated for up to 1 week. noteScotch bonnet peppers are among the hottest in the world—and they make this sauce simply amazing. To tone down the heat, you must remove the seeds. And you must wear rubber or latex gloves while doing it. You'll regret it if you do this bare-handed. Reprinted with permission from Home Cooking with Jean-Georges: My Favorite Simple Recipes by Jean-Georges Vongerichten with Genevieve Ko. Copyright © 2011 by Jean-Georges Vongerichten; photographs copyright © 2011 by John Kernick. Published by Clarkson Potter/Publishers, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved. Jean-Georges Vongerichten is one of the most influential chefs in the world, having single-handedly redefined haute French cuisine, lightening and refining it by adding select Asian accents. He is the chef-owner of dozens of restaurants in fourteen cities around the world. His flagship restaurant, Jean Georges, at New York's Columbus Circle, is one of six restaurants in the United States to have been awarded three coveted Michelin stars; it received four stars from the New York Times. The winner of multiple James Beard Foundation awards, he lives in New York City and Waccabuc, New York, with his family. Genevieve Ko is a cookbook author and the senior food editor at Good Housekeeping magazine. She has written for Martha Stewart Living, Gourmet, and Fine Cooking and lives in New York City with her family.