Habanero Salsa!

IMG_0549

This is an fun and fresh recipe thats also fairly easy to whip up. My dad had given my a few bright orange habanero peppers from his garden, but had also warned me just how dangerous they could be. A little intimidated at first, I learned its best to wear plastic food prep gloves when cutting up the habanero. With about five times the heat of a jalapeño, the capsaicin in the habanero can irritate the skin, so its best not to touch it! Be wary of the seeds as well, as these are the hottest part of the pepper. I made sure to discard the seeds right away to avoid any of them slipping into the salsa. The pepper alone gives the salsa that kick I was looking for, without being overly spicy. Here’s the recipe I used, but I recommend experimenting with the proportions to find what you like best:

4 vine ripened tomatoes, diced
1/4 yellow onion, diced
1/4 red onion, diced
1/4 green bell pepper, diced
1 small habanero pepper, very finely diced
Fresh cilantro, finely chopped
Salt
Pepper
Cumin
Juice of 1 lime

Start by finely chopping all of the ingredients, paying special attention to the habanero – you definitely don’t want too big of a chunk in any single bite! Combine all ingredients, and add cilantro, lime juice, salt, pepper and cumin to taste. Serve this colorful and healthy salsa with some salty tortilla chips, and its sure to be perfect for a Sunday afternoon football. Enjoy!

Leigha Ali
Share: