Food

Salsa to make your snacks sing

Shelf Help: Shane Doherty lost his London sales job early in the pandemic and now produces fermented hot sauces commercially in Dublin

Little Red's Sauces Roasted Pepper & Garlic Salsa

Marie Claire Digby's face
Marie Claire Digby
Tue Sep 26 2023 - 05:00

What is it?

Litte Red’s Sauces Roasted Pepper & Garlic Salsa (€5/300ml).

Who makes it?

Dubliner Shane Doherty started out making fermented hot sauces when he was living and working in London. Early in the pandemic, he lost his job in sales and decided to try to produce the sauces commercially. A substantial order from a chain of 20 restaurants in north London encouraged him to persevere, but again Covid intervened. He returned to Dublin and continued his plans. He now makes hot sauce, barbecue sauce and salsa as a one-man operation based in Dublin 11, “with a lot of help from family and friends,” he says.

What’s good about it?

The salsa has a nice consistency, with the tomatoes, peppers and white onions clearly visible. There is a strong smoky flavour from the grilled ramiro peppers and vine tomatoes, and slow roast garlic brings sweetness too.

How do I it use it?

The Roasted Pepper & Garlic Salsa is designed to be used straight from the jar. Of course it would be great with a big bowl of tortilla chips, or made into nachos with chips, cheese, sour cream and jalapeños, but I have also used it as you would a tomato chutney and it has been very versatile. It should be stored in the fridge after opening, but has a decent four-week shelf life once opened.

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Where can I get it?

It is on sale in some SuperValu branches, mostly in Dublin and north Dublin (having gone through the SuperValu Food Academy programme), and can be purchased online at littleredssauces.com.

Anything else?

There is an Everyday Hot Sauce and a Chipotle Barbecue Sauce in the range too.

Send your Shelf Help product suggestions to marieclaire.digby@irishtimes.com

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