Monday, September 7, 2009

If you can't stand the heat, get out of the salsa

Alternate titles:
"Some like it hot"
"Just one more reason why I shouldn't be allowed to cook"
"Hot lips"

An older couple in our neighborhood have hired CJ and his friend to mow their lawn each week. This last Saturday, when CJ came home, he was toting a large bag of fresh tomatoes from their garden.
These tomatoes smelled SO good! As soon as I saw them, I knew that I wanted to make some salsa.
Today I went to the grocery store to buy the rest of the ingredients for the salsa. I bought a huge onion, serrano peppers, garlic and a few limes.
I haven't made salsa for years, and I couldn't remember how many peppers I needed, so I just bought a few handfulls.
When I got home, Aaron helped me chop all the tomatoes. I sliced them and he pulverized them with the chopper. The huge bowl was nearly full, so we decided to make half into spaghetti sauce, so we put half into a big jar to save it for spaghetti.
I was able to show the kids what a real tomato looked and tasted like. I had almost forgotten just how delicious a home grown tomato is. They were amazed at the deep red color inside the tomato. Aaron said "These aren't pink or yellow inside like the ones we get from the store!"

When we got all of the tomatoes chopped, we chopped and added the onion and pressed in several cloves of garlic.
The onion was a strong one, and it wasn't long before my eyes were burning and tears were running down my face. I tried to get Aaron to go and get his swimming goggles for me to wear, but he didn't know where they were.
Next, I chopped up the peppers. I honestly can't remember how many I put in. I do remember smelling them and wondering if I even got the right kind of peppers because honestly, they didn't smell hot.
In retrospect, I should have just added a few peppers at a time instead of all of them.

I stirred in some freshly squeezed lime juice and some salt, then tried a small bite.


It started out OK, then slowly, the burning sensation began on the tip of my tongue and radiated through the rest of my mouth.

IT. WAS. HOT!

DH started laughing because he likes super hot salsa, and he thought I was being a wimp.

Then he tried some. His response?

"That DOES have some kick to it!"

By now I've got the cannister of sugar out, scooping spoonfulls in my mouth, trying to cool the burn. (if you didn't already know this, it really works)

Aaron had tried some of the salsa on a tortilla chip, and he was now dumping the sugar into his mouth to try to put out the fire.

DH liked the salsa. He kept saying that it was really good and he liked it.

I dumped the extra jar of tomatoes in the salsa, hoping to dilute it a bit, but it didn't really work.

Now I'm not quite sure what to do with this 5+ alarm salsa.

Any ideas?

13 comments:

val of the south said...

Maybe you could use yours as a salsa starter - add a spoonful of that to a whole batch of mild salsa. Our Relief Society made salsa and it had the opposite problem - NO heat whatsever. We need to mix ours together!

Kristina P. said...

I am a HUGE wimp. Seriously, mild salsa is too hot. But anything that allows me to eat spoonfuls of sugar has to be good.

Rachel Sue said...

Can it and save it for Christmas neighbor gifts. The thought will be appreciated and no one will eat it anyway! :)

rychelle said...

mail it to me! i love HOT salsa. do you need my address? ;)

Chief said...

ooohh good salsa is the kind that gives you flaming diarrhea! send it to me! :)

Randi said...

Can it.

We have a couple of jars of that off-the-thermometer salsa from last year.
This year we only made mild. VERY VERY mild. Anyone (who shall remain nameless) who likes it hotter knows they can use a few spoonfuls of the "infernow sauce" as I affectionately call it, to heat up what's already on their plate.

Randi said...

Ok, I just read the comments - which I normally do BEFORE I actually write a comment - - and I see Val has already given you my exact answer.

Oh well, put me down for vote #2 on val's plan.

The Crash Test Dummy said...

Hi Jillybean. I am still planning on getting together for lunch tomorrow. Val wants to come too. I'm still waiting to hear from DeNae. Do you guys want to come over here to my house? (I'm in AF) or do you want me to meet you halfway, like IKEA for choc cake.

mCat said...

Just think....it's gonna be just as hot coming back out the other direction! Oy vay!!

The Crash Test Dummy said...

Hey Jilly, me and Val are going to IKEA tomorrow at about 11:45. Lunch and Choc cake. And shopping if you want. I hope you can come. I'm hoping DeNae will come too. I promise a party at my house when my stuff comes.

peewee said...

I know I shouldn't be laughing, but that WAS funny!!

Jo said...

Give it to someone you do not like and tell them it is very mild. Please don't give it to me. You like me, right?

Damama T said...

ROFL! I have this image of you standing there, eyes watering and nose running from the onion, and syrupy drool cushing from your mouth as you wildly fan your face. I know, I have a warped imagination. LOL!

I like the idea of giving it as gifts. But do put a warning on it cuz I'd find a way to come kick your butt if you gave me some and didn't! LOL!