Madame Jeanette: The Pepper Behind Aruba's Heat

Madame Jeanette is a Surinamese pepper that found a second home across the Dutch Caribbean. It looks like a wrinkled yellow lantern and smells almost like apricot, which is exactly how it catches people out.

The heat arrives late and stays. It is roughly in habanero territory on the scale, but the flavour underneath it is fruitier and less smoky, which is why it suits a sauce rather than a marinade.

Our Madame sauce is built around it with tomato, and it is the one Aruban customers reach for most on a plate of pan bati and stewed fish.

If you are new to it, start with a few drops on the side of the plate rather than over the whole thing. You can always add.