Habanero Salsa

When only Super Hot will satisfy, Chiliheads reach for a Habanero.  

Habaneros can be up to 250 times hotter than a Jalapeno.  If you have never worked with Habs, be sure to read the cautions below and remember that a little goes a long way.

However if you are a confirmed Chilihead (like me) you can easily increase the amount of pepper in this and not change the basic flavor.   

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• 4 small red ripe Tomatoes, chopped
• 1/4 cup Red Onion, minced
• 2 tablespoons Cilantro, chopped
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped habanero pepper
• Salt

Directions

1. Mix all ingredients together. Serve at room temperature.
2. Refrigerate 30 minutes before use.

Habanero Guide and Cautions

Recently, the habanero's heat, its fruity, citrus-like flavor, and its floral aroma have made it a popular ingredient in hot sauces and spicy foods. If you can get past the heat, they actually have an "orangey" flavor.

1. Look for the bright orange color of the Habanero in the produce section of your grocery.  A good shaped one should look sorta like a miniature Bell Pepper.  The are also seen in red, but the heat is the same (unless it is labled Red Savina -- in which case it can be double -- even triple -- the heat of an orange Hab.)
2. When cutting or chopping Habs, ALWAYS wear gloves and avoid touching anywhere that may burn.  This includes your mouth, nose, eyes and, yes, your genitals.  Many a chilihead has a horror story to tell of going to the bathroom after cutting Habs.  Disposible gloves are best.  Use them and toss them.
3. Be sure to also carefully wash your cutting board and knife before using again. 
4. If you use a food processor, be extra careful when you open the top.  What comes out is like tear gas -- only worse!
5. Like most peppers, the heat of a Habanero is concentrated in the "fins" of the pepper.  But unlike some peppers, removing these will not make the Hab cool.  Just less murderously hot!  One thing you can do with the above recipe to cool it slightly (while still using the same amount of pepper -- to get the right taste) is to use just the "bottoms" of the peppers (the part farthest from the stem.)  Although it is still hot, the majority of the heat is in the fins and around the top.

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