Hot Honey

Here’s a sticky elixir to drizzle over everything. Spicy and sweet, this homemade hot honey starts with fresh chiles for a fruity brightness that you can’t get from dried chiles (though they work in this formula, too). Fresh chiles become even more complex when simmered with vinegar. Cooking the acid mellows its harshness but still gives this condiment a nice tang. If you can’t find bird’s-eye chiles or chiles that are as small, you can use a few habanero or Scotch bonnets instead. (If you love heat, you can add as many chiles as you think you can handle.) Be sure to wash the chiles well before using. This honey is delicious drizzled over vegetables, biscuits, cheese, fried chicken, pizza, grilled meat and sandwiches. With its fresh notes, it’s a nice addition to salad dressings, too.

Ingredients

• 5 to 10 fresh whole red bird’s-eye or other small hot chiles
• 2 tablespoons white wine or distilled white vinegar
• 0.5 cup clover or other mild honey

Steps

1. Use as many chiles as you want: five for a warm tingle, up to 10 for more burn. Using the tip of a sharp knife, cut little slits in the chiles.
2. Bring the chiles and vinegar to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high. Boil until the vinegar reduces by half, about 1 minute. Stir in the honey and reduce the heat to low. Simmer gently for 10 minutes.
3. Pour into a jar, then cool to room temperature. Pluck out and discard the chiles. Refrigerate the hot honey for up to 2 weeks.