Newsletter
for October, 2003
Issue 23
Today's Recipe
HABENERO & SOUR ORANGE SALSA
Oh, Great, another stupid Newsletter.... Geeze, I sure hate to start off by asking you for a favor.... but I'm gonna do it anyway. I have received a bunch of emails complimenting me on the great article about me "THE SALSA KING", In the October '03 issue of CHILEPEPPER MAGAZINE. This publication is not distributed in Mexico and I would like to get my hands on a copy or two. If any of you all are planning a Cabo visit... Bring me a copy or two and I'll pop for a round of yummie Margaritas. Or if you are so inclined you could send me a copy at APO Postal #482, Cabo San Lucas, BCS, Mexico. Also if you find the article interesting, write or email the Magazine and tell them you'd like to hear more from/about the SALSA KING! Who knows?? Could lead to a cook-book deal or maybe even a Salsa King Bobblehead doll.
ANOTHER COMMENT
I don't know if you generally read the Reader's Forum in this stupid newsletter (actually I don't know if anybody reads any of it at all), but I suggest you check out the first letter in this issue. I evidently said somewhere that I didn't think there was any adequate substitue for onions in my recipe. A reader took vehement exception to that and gave me his opinion. I'd like to know what you think.
TAMING THE DREADED HABENERO
Somebody with way too much time on his hands came up with a way to grade the "heat" of chiles. It is called the Scoville scale. I'm not sure how scientific it is but it is generally accepted as an accurate gauge of how hot chiles are relative to each other. At the very top of the list is the dreaded Habanero. I've seen it graded anywhere from 550,000 to 880,000 scoville units. The two chiles we are probably most familiar with- the Jalapeno and the Serrano (chiles that most people consider fiery hot) are rated at between 4,000 and 25,000 scoville units. Now I'm not a mathematician but even I can see that a Habanero is something like two hundred Jillion times hotter than a Jalapeno. We didn't use to have to worry about that because the only way you could get a Habanero was by going to the Yucatan. Now salsas are so freakin' hip that even your local supermarket has them in stock.
WATCH OUT!
These chiles are beautifully innocent in appearance, a shiny candy apple orange and like all chiles can vary widely in hotness. You can take two chiles from the same plant... and one can be mild and sweet while the other ones can blow the top of your head right off. I do not have any dishes at the restaurant that use Habaneros but we do serve a Habanero salsa and it is surprisingly popular. My Habanero salsa is a variation of a salsa that's very popular in the Yucatan, and this is how you make it.
We're gonna start small because the damn salsa may turn out too hot to eat.
So take two habaneros and cut them in half the long way
Remove the stem and seeds and do not touch your eyes under any circumstances!
as a matter of fact if you are sensitive to chiles and tomatoes you might want to wear rubber gloves while dealing with these babies. It is also very important to remember to wash your hands very carefully after dealing with these chiles and before playing any intimate games with your dearly beloved.
With a real sharp knife julienne (That's fancy food talk for "cut them puppies into long thin strips.") the chiles into really, really paper thin strips about 1/2 to 1 inch long.
Put them in a bowl.
Slice some white onion into paper thin slices you want about four or five times more onion than chiles.
Separate the onion slices into rings and put them into the bowl with the chiles.
Now the hard part is finding Yucatan Bitter oranges. As near as I can tell they just don't exist in the United States. What I do is cover the onion/chile mix with some regular orange juice and add a couple table spoons of vinegar. I use a cheap industrial strength distilled vinegar, 'cause that was what was available when I started making this salsa and I hate to change stuff that seems to be working (but I think a nice Rice vinegar would be really good, too.)
You have to let this marinate for at least a couple hours before using.
If you want you can sprinkle some finely chopped green onion or cilantro on top.
Aside from being brutally hot, habaneros have a really nice distinctive flavor. Some Mexicans will toss a whole habanero into a pot of beans or whatever they're cooking then throw it away when it's cooked, getting some of the flavor of the habanero without the heat. If any of you decide you like the habaneros, write me and I'll give you some more recipes.
So there!
Let me know how it turns out.
Spencer
Sir Felice,
We were reviewing one of your past postings and you mentioned that you did not think there existed any replacement for onion. That would be erroneous; there as always (millennia) been asafoetida aka. hing, from India. All Vaishnavas, from the four Sampradayas, tend to avoid foods that are rajasic, ie. onions and garlic; therefore use above cited replacement. Hoping this meets you well.
RHS Montreal,
CanadaThanks for the tip. I would love to find a good onion substitute for those who love the taste but may have some allergy. ( I thought this was interesting enough to do a little research on. I found that asfoetida is a ground spice made from a giant Fennel plant. It's name derives from the persian: aza (resin) and the latin: foetidus (stinking). It is known by many other names around the world (narhex, hing, devil's dung, and stinkenkraut), and is noted for having a smell very much like a cross between rotten eggs and dog shit.
Sorry, I'm gonna pass.
I'd rather have a thick slice of sweet onion on that burger than some powdered Devil's Dung!
_________
Hi Felix:
We travel to Mexico regularly (well, almost every year), usually Puerto Vallarta, & have been enjoying your website. I'd been searching for a good recipe for salsa as to avoid the manufactured junk you find on the grocery shelves, & your recipes are perfect! The smell & flavour instantly transports me from the snowy north right to the beach, Indio (my favourite Mexican beer) or Margarita in hand! A couple of questions, if you don't mind:1. Should I be cleaning out the seeds from the jalapenos, or just leave them in? I'm not sure if it's my imagination, but the one time I left them in it seemed noticeably hotter (which for me is good!).
2. Can the cilantro stalks be used as well? I've been stripping the leaves & using them.
Thanks for the GREAT website! See you in Cabo one of these days.
Bob Stott & Vija Tate
Toronto, Ontario, CanadaBob & Vija
Go ahead and leave the seeds in, it will be hotter. The only reason to take the seeds out is to reduce the heat or to keep from getting chile seeds between your teeth. If Iām using fresh cilantro in a raw salsa I don't use the stems-- I find them a little chewy like celery strings, but they have a lot of flavor so when I use cilantro in a cooked dish, I always use the stems as well. Look forward to meeting you_________
Spencer
We ate in your restaurant in April and LOVED the french toast. You graciously sent us the recipe which I inadvertantly deleted! PLEASE send us another copy of the recipe for your french toast with cream cheese filing. My correct email address is: Chucksterathome@hotmail.comNo problem. Here's a link
ss_________
Spencer,
I am so excited about receiving your newsletter! We have been back in Las Vegas for almost a month now and I still have dreams about your salsa bar. I told my sister about it, and we can't wait to come back in October for girl's weekend. (Husband's going in September on a fishing trip, I'm sure he'll visit with the guy's) I know I shouldn't let food be the center of my vacation, but I can't stop thinking about the chicken monterrey. See you in October!!!Allison Tolson and friends.
Thanks, seeya soon
ss