This garlicky, lemon-scented and spicy habanero-infused oil is great for drizzling on pizza and comes together in just a few minutes. Dreamed up by Fermín Núñez, the man behind the Mexican food hotspot Suerte in Austin, Texas, the resulting oil is a great way to make use of coriander stems you might’ve otherwise thrown away.
Chef Fermín Núñez is a powerhouse on the American food scene, one who has created some of the best plates in Austin. A winner of Food and Wine’s Best New Chefs 2021, Núñez is at the top of his game. Our culinary advisor, Kelsey Small, worked alongside him at Suerte, plating the famous brisket tacos, nixtamalizing corn, and making oils — which is how we came to realize this particular oil, usually used in a grilled sweet potato dish, would also be excellent on pizza.
We love this habanero oil drizzled on pizza topped with just about any combination of toppings, but especially one that’s mild or sweet like our Acorn Squash and Quesillo Pie. In addition to squash and quesillo, toppings like sweet potato, roasted chicken and cotija work well with this spicy oil. And it’s not just designed to blow your head off with spice! Garlic, lemon zest and coriander add fresh, citrus and herbal notes that round it out into something truly sensational.
This recipe is part of our Garnish of the Month series.