This is the third in our monthly series on the Herb of the Year Capsicum! This month we picked one with somewhere between 150,000 and 300,000 heat on the scoville scale. In the habanero grouping, these are a good pepper to grow in northern climates.
Herb of the Week -
Hot Paper Lantern
Capsicum chinense ‘Hot
Paper’
To check out the previous two postings, see these:
The Hot Paper Lantern is a habanero type hot pepper.
More productive and larger than regular habaneros, these magnificent, elongated
and wrinkled, lantern-shaped fruits are 3-4" long. Bigger than our regular
habaneros, but they pack the same mouth-blistering heat. The plants are relatively
compact & sprawling compared to other Habanero varieties and produce
excellent yields. They ripen from lime green to orange and finally to a bright
scarlet red. Known for their short growing season, which makes them great for
growing in northern climates, the plants are decorative and pretty, and can
even be grown in containers. The plants are strong and vigorous. It grows
larger and ripens earlier in the North than regular habaneros. The stem is thin
and easily broken making it easy to pick the peppers without damaging the
plant. The wall of the pepper very is thin, making them great for drying.
Taste: just
as hot as orange habanero, except it has a different sweeter initial taste
before the heat kicks in, while the regular orange habanero has a sharper heat
that attacks the tongue much faster. Great for seasoning, salsa, hot sauce or
roasting. They are delicious in many
dishes, including soups.
To Grow
Unless your
home is in an arid sub-tropical state, your habanero seeds are best started inside and
then transplanted outside after soils warm. The Habanero Pepper is a
member of the 'Chinese' family of Hot Chili's.
Typically the plants grow larger than most other hot Chiles such as the
Cayenne or Jalapeno pepper.
Habaneros
can be troublesome start out kind of finicky as tiny seedlings. Habaneros will grow
into sturdy plants that are robust and strong. Start them indoors 6 to 10 weeks
before the last expected frosts. Habaneros take longer to germinate than
smaller pepper plants. It is always better to be a little too late to start
your seeds than too early. They will catch up with the other plants once they
are in the garden.
Planting
the seeds in individual spaces in a tray, or in individual cells or pots makes
transplanting easier and keeps failures down too. Keeping the air and soil humid and damp as
well as heated is the perfect environment for germination. Covering the planting areas with a dome or
plastic wrap will speed germination and keep the soil moist as needed.
Uncover
the seedlings as soon as they emerge and allow the soil to dry for at least a
full day in between watering. Fertilize
the seedlings weekly. Transplant time is at about 8 sets of leaves...although a
little more or less won't hurt them.
When
transplanting outside, dig a whole several times larger than the root system. About the size of the shovel width is
good. Peppers like sand, so place a hand
shovel full of sand and well-rotted manure or aged compost into the hole and
mix well. If you have soil that is too sandy, add top soil and cow manure.
According
to Pepper Joe, it is good to toss a pack or two of fanned out matches into the
hole. Your Chili plants will love the
sulfur. Sulfur is also a great Fungicide and kills harmful bacteria. This
creates a Root Zone that is Habanero plant friendly. It enables the roots to
spread out and grow quickly getting nourishment as well.
Water
the plant extremely well right after transplanting. It helps prevent transplant
shock.
At
this point your Habanero plants should be off and running. Fertilize every two
weeks as needed with a natural fish emulsion.
HARDENING
OFF
Remember
to introduce your young tender plants to the outdoors slowly and gradually.
This process is called 'Hardening off'. First
day for an hour in indirect sun or shade...then add an hour a day and more sun.
The best time to transplant your Habanero pepper plants is at night, or better
yet on a cloudy and rainy day. The Sun can be harsh on small seedlings.
You can get seeds to grow these peppers from:
Grilled Salmon
Wikipedia - Habanero
1/4
cup vegetable oil
1/2
cup orange juice
3
tablespoons lime juice
1
tablespoon tequila
1
tablespoon grated lime zest
1
tablespoon minced habanero pepper
1
clove garlic, minced
4 (5
ounce) salmon steaks
1/4
cup butter, softened
1/4
teaspoon garlic salt
1
tablespoon lime juice
2
teaspoons minced habanero pepper
2
teaspoons grated lime zest
Directions
In a bowl, stir together vegetable oil, orange juice,
3 tablespoons lime juice, tequila, 1 tablespoon lime zest, 1 tablespoon
habanero pepper, and garlic. Reserve a small amount to use as a basting sauce,
and pour the remainder into a shallow baking dish. Place the salmon in the
shallow dish, and turn to coat. Cover, and refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours,
turning frequently.
In a small bowl, mix together softened butter, garlic
salt, 1 tablespoon lime juice, 2 teaspoons habanero pepper, and 2 teaspoons
lime zest. Cover, and refrigerate.
Preheat grill for medium heat.
Lightly oil grill grate, and place salmon on the
grill. Cook salmon for 5 to 8 minutes per side, or until the fish can be easily
flaked with a fork. Transfer to a serving dish, top with habanero butter, and
serve.
Habanero
Salsa
This
is a variation of regular fresh salsa with the addition of a hot paper pepper.
This salsa is not for lightweights.
3
fresh jalapeno peppers
2
onions, finely chopped
2
tablespoons garlic, minced
1
tablespoon white sugar
2
teaspoons salt
1
teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1
(7 ounce) can diced green chile pepper
1/2
cup minced fresh cilantro
2
limes, juiced
7
(15 ounce) cans canned tomatoes
1 hot
paper pepper, seeded
Directions
Roast
jalapenos over a grill or gas burner until completely blackened. Seal in a
plastic bag or a bowl covered with plastic wrap, and allow to steam until skins
are loosened. When cool, remove skin, stem, and seeds.
Place
jalapenos, onions, garlic, sugar, salt, and pepper into the bowl of a blender
or food processor. Pulse to chop and blend, then pour into a large bowl, and
mix with the can of green chiles, cilantro, and lime juice. Pulse the tomatoes
in batches to desired size, and add to green chile mixture.
Return
one cup of chopped tomatoes to the blender along with the habanero, and puree
well. Strain the puree to remove any large pieces of habanero, and add to the
tomatoes. Mix well, cover, and chill in the refrigerator at least one hour to
allow flavors to blend.
Sources:
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