Caribe Salsa

This sweet-hot salsa is spiced up with one of the world's hottest peppers—the habanero. Add just a little at first. You can always add more, but you can't take it out! Pineapple cools the heat, and basil livens up this Caribbean salsa.

Recipe Ingredients:

2 tablespoons diced onion
2 cups 1/4-inch diced cored tomatoes
1 small red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch dice
1/2 cup crushed pineapple, drained
2 limes, juiced
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1 habanero or Scotch bonnet chile, seeded and finely minced*
1/2 teaspoon salt

Cooking Directions:

1. Put onion in a fine mesh strainer, rinse with hot water and drain. Combine with tomatoes, red bell pepper, pineapple, lime juice, basil, chile and salt. Chill at least 30 minutes before serving.

Makes about 3 cups.

*Working with jalapeños or other chiles: Capsaicin is the ingredient in chiles that causes the burning sensation associated with fresh peppers. It's a good idea to use rubber gloves when handling fresh chiles. (Disposable surgical gloves, available at most drugstores, work best for this.) If you choose not to use gloves, be extremely careful not to touch any part of your body, especially your eyes. Afterwards, wash your knife and cutting board with hot soapy water to ensure that there is no carry-over to other foods that may come in contact with the peppers.