The Hirshon Puerto Rican Pique Hot Sauce Recipes

PIQUE - PUERTO RICAN HOT SAUCE - RECIPE

Steps:

• Remove the pepper stem. Slice the peppers in half or into quarters, small enough to fit into the jar or container you are using.
• Stuff the peppers into an 8-ounce bottle or jar.
• Add cloves, peppercorns, cilantro stems and lime juice.
• Fill the container the rest of the way up with vinegar, leaving a bit of head space.
• Cap and give it a good shake.
• Let it sit out anywhere from 2 days to 2 weeks to allow the heat and flavor to develop. Refill as needed with more vinegar and peppers.

PIQUE (PUERTO RICAN HOT SAUCE)

Steps:

• Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add 1/4 of the onion, habanero peppers, aji dulce, and garlic. Cook and stir until tender, about 3 minutes. Let cool at least 5 minutes.
• Transfer pepper mixture to a blender. Add pineapple juice, lime juice, tequila, vinegar, cilantro, culantro, sugar, oregano, salt, black pepper, cacao powder, and cumin. Blend until smooth. Pour sauce into a glass bottle with a lid; let stand for a least 1 week for flavors to blend.

THE HIRSHON PUERTO RICAN PIQUE HOT SAUCE

Steps:

• Carefully cut the habaneros in half. If you like it hot, don't discard the seeds.
• Wash your hands carefully after handling the peppers or use rubber gloves!
• In a small saucepan, simmer the peppers in the olive oil for approximately one minute on medium low heat. This brings out the hotness of the peppers without having to let it sit for months. Let it cool.
• Place the rest of the ingredients in a large jar or bottle, cumin and peppercorns first.
• Add the peppers and the olive oil to the jar(s) or bottle(s), stuff them in if needed. Shake and let it sit for at least a day, preferably a week before using, shaking once a day. It will get hotter as it ages and refrigerate after opening.

PIQUE (PUERTO RICAN STYLE HOT SAUCE)

Steps:

• Drop the garlic cloves, peppercorns, salt and bay leaf (and any of your optional additions) down into the bottle.
• Remove the stems from the hot peppers. Leave the seeds and membranes intact if you want your Pique spicy! If necessary, slice the peppers lengthwise until they are a size that fits easily into the mouth of the bottle. Insert peppers (or peppers strips) into the bottle.
• Use a funnel to pour vinegar into the bottle to cover the peppers and spices. If your bottle has a shaker top, snap it back into place, add the lid and set out on the counter for two days. After two days, store your Pique in the refrigerator.
• You can top off with vinegar when it starts getting low with more vinegar. When the peppers start losing their punch, use a chopstick to remove the peppers and start over!