Hatch chiles are in season, so there’s no better time to find a bunch and grub on them.

I had an excellent hatch burger at the Playground recently (listed on the menu as “For Cool People Only”) and after that, I was left craving the flavor and heat even more than I thought I would. Luckily, Dave came into a huge burlap sack full of the fiery peppers. Only, instead of throwing them on a burger, Dave chose to ferment them, then blend them into his friend Delilah’s signature Hatch Crack Chile Sauce.

Keep on reading for the how-to.

First, chop the chiles into segments, seeds included. Don’t forget to use tongs, wear gloves … whatever you have to do to avoid burning your eyes or personal bits later on.

Run the chiles through a food processor to break them down to a fine chop. Pour the chiles into a wide-mouth jar fitted with an airlock fermenter (available at A Road Less Traveled in Santa Ana for $25 each); use two tablespoons of sea salt for every four cups of packed chiles.

Ferment at least a week, but preferably a month. Periodically scrape out the mold that will collect toward the top opening of the jar.

When the time is up, pour the jar in batches into a blender and mix until smooth. Use as much water as you need to achieve the right consistency. Bottle it all up and store in the fridge for a while.

Enjoy on pizza, eggs, burgers and whatever else you think needs some kickin’ up!

Recipe courtesy of Niyaz Pirani from Fat Dude on a Diet