Five Habenero Blue Sauce

At the office we have started back up weekly team lunches.  This started last year when we started expanding and brought on to the team two of my friends and colleagues from Seattle.  This expanded our three person group to a full five.  Now a year later, and four products later, the company is continuing to expand and nothing brings a team together like good food.

Lately the food of the week has been pulled pork.  A pork shoulder slow roasted in adobo sauce for 18 hours.  Not quite the classic smoking BBQ I am familiar with, but an acceptable alternative when living in the city.

This post is all about the sauce.  It is a nice alternative to store bought sauce that includes healthier ingredients.  Let's start with the ingredients and move on from there.  I tried to take a picture of all the ingredients but kinda missed a few and added some extras that sounded good.  Honestly, it is worth trying something different in the sauce.  The worst that can happen is it doesn't turn out as expected enjoy and learn from it.

This is the recipe for what I call a Five Habenero Blue Sauce.

Wet Ingredients:
- 3 Tbsp Worchestershire Sauce
- 1 Tbsp Liquid Smoth
- 3 cups Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1 cup Molasses
- 1 can Adobo Paste
- 2-4 Canned Tomatoes (I know...)

Dry Ingredients:
- 1 Tbsp Paprika
- 1 tsp Cumin Seed
- 3 Tbsp Mustard Seed
- 2 Tbsp Turmeric
- 1 x Dried Pasilla
- 1 x Cinnamon Stick

Fresh Ingredients:
- 1 x Large Onion (3x small onion)
- 5 x Habanero (with seeds)
- 2 x Pasilla Pepper
- 4 x Garlic Clove
- 2 cups Blueberries

Start by sauteing the Fresh Ingredients in some oil on medium high for about five minutes.

 Next add the Wet Ingredients and bring to a simmer.

Stir in the Dry Ingredients and simmer for at least an hour.  In the last fifteen minutes add the blueberries.  This may seem odd but it adds a unique sweetness without artificial sweeteners.

After simmer for an extended period of time take off the stove and let cool down a bit.  

Pull out the cinnamon stick and dried pepper (sometimes I do leave them in).

Depending on how much is made it will take 2-4 bending batches.  Fill the bender 1/2-3/4 full (warning that blending hot can burn).  Blend for at least one minute.  I find this gives a thick texture without seeming like an artificial corn syrup based BBQ sauce.

Warning, this is a spicy sauce.  Removing the Habeneros will cut the heat, but in my opinion it also flattens the profile.

The end result is a wonderful bottle spicy goodness that will fill any team building luncheon.

Mother's Day was interesting this year.  Kristina, Tiernan, and myself celbrated by going to southwestern Massauchsetts for some river fun. 

We left Boston mid-morning and after an hour and half driving arrived at the Swift River (42°16'42.5"N 72°18'08.5"W) around 0900EDT.  As we scouted the areas the fish we could see trout in the stream below.  This was  good sign by never assume as much since the goal was to teach Tiernan casting.

Tiernan picked up casting quite quickly.  At one point he even got it across the river.  However, bait casting into skitish river Trout doesn't bode well for catching fish. 

The fisrt cast got a nibble, but due to the rapidly chaning weather, and early season conditions there was no fish on line.  This will be the first post for our fishing adventures.  Stay tuned for more.