Name: Barberton Hot Sauce
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Cuisine: MidwestAmerican
Ingredients: 3 tablespoons olive oil; 1 onion, chopped fine; 2 jalapeño chiles, stemmed, seeded, and minced; 1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and chopped fine; 2 teaspoons paprika; 1 garlic clove, minced; 1 1/2 cups water; 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes; 1 tablespoon long-grain white rice; 2 teaspoons packed brown sugar; 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Why This Recipe Works

In Barberton, Ohio, a signature fried chicken dinner is not complete without a mildly spicy side of stewed Hungarian hot peppers, tomatoes, and onions that the locals call “hot sauce.” Though we couldn’t find Hungarian hot peppers in the supermarket, a red bell pepper, two jalapeños, and a smidge of red pepper flakes offered a similar ratio of sweetness to heat. We found that a small amount of raw white rice lent the sauce its distinctive silky, jammy quality. Adding water helped the rice break down and do its thickening work.

Before You Begin

Try leftover sauce with quesadillas or fish, or use it to fill an omelet.

Instructions

Heat oil in medium saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion, jalapeños, and bell pepper and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in paprika and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add water, tomatoes, rice, sugar, and pepper flakes and bring to boil.

Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened and vegetables are completely softened, about 45 minutes. (Hot sauce can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.)