Friday, July 27, 2012

Flaming Cherry Tomato Salsa

I've made a series of salsas for my friend, Mason. This is the most recent, and the most incendiary. Go crazy...turn it up to 11!

Flaming Cherry Tomato Salsa
(makes about a cup and a half)
1 cup sweet cherry tomatoes (I use "grape" tomatoes), chopped fine
1 jalepeno, roasted until well-browned, minced
1-3 habaneros, roasted, stemmed and minced - DO NOT TOUCH WITH BARE HANDS!
2 cloves garlic, smashed and minced, or grated
1 bunch of scallions, chopped 1-1/2" into the green part
1/2 medium-sized red onion, minced
1/4-1/2 cup chopped cilantro leaves
2 T white vinegar (not apple cider vinegar!)
1/2 tsp (scant) fresh ground black pepper (aka, a lot of pepper!)
Kosher salt to taste - should be pleasantly salty

Rub the habaneros with a little oil and roast on the grill until well-charred all over. Mince finely - be very careful - the oil will burn your skin, and any sensitive areas you touch! Cut the root end off of the scallions, then split each one lengthwise with your knife, then mince. Mix all ingredients in a bowl and season to taste - about 1/3 to 1/2 tsp Kosher salt - you want it pleasantly salty. This salsa can go from pretty hot to incendiary, depending on the number of habaneros. But it's so delicious, people will eat through the pain!