My daughter loves to dip everything she eats into sauces. In fact, two of her first five words were chip and dip. This mildly spiced sauce is a particular favorite of my little sauce connoisseur. In contrast to commercially produced sauces—which often contain corn syrup and other preservatives—I use organic produce and ingredients instead. That means my daughter can lick the plate to her heart’s content, and I can watch her worry-free. This recipe is also special because it doesn’t use tomatoes, but the luscious texture may fool you into thinking it does.
1 pound yellow onions (about 2 cups)
4 garlic cloves
3 red bell peppers
2 pounds ripe mangoes (about 4 cups prepped)
3 cups distilled vinegar, divided
1/2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled, finely minced
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/3 cup molasses
1/3 cup light brown sugar, loosely packed
Makes 8 half-pints
Assemble the canning stations as described on pages 5–7, steps 2–4. At the food preparation station, peel and slice the onions and garlic. Wash the red bell peppers (compost the stem and seeds) and cut into large chunks. Peel the mangoes and remove the flesh from the seeds.
In a large saucepan over medium heat, place 1 cup distilled vinegar, onions, and garlic. Once the pan is hot, sauté for about 6 minutes, or until the onions begin to soften and the liquid has evaporated. Add 1 cup vinegar, ginger, red peppers, mangoes, salt, and spices. Simmer uncovered for 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the peppers are soft.
Working in 2 batches, pour 1/2 cup vinegar into a blender. Scrape half the contents of the pot into the blender. Blend on high until completely smooth. Pour the remaining 1/2 cup vinegar into the blender and the remaining contents of the pot, blending until completely smooth. Return to the pot and add the molasses and brown sugar. Over low heat, simmer and stir for 15 minutes; the sauce should be bubbling slightly.
At the filling station, keep the jars and sauce hot while filling each jar. Use a funnel and a heat-resistant pitcher to pour the sauce into the jar, leaving 1/2 inch of headspace. Remove the air pockets, wipe the rim, and secure the lid. Place the jars in the water bath, covered by 1 inch of water. Once the water is boiling, process for 10 minutes (pages 11–14, steps 7–12).
TIP
Using both sweet and smoked paprika in this recipe helps to achieve a balance of flavors.