Rangpur Habanero Pico de Gallo

(Xni-Pec)

• Any chili you have, de-seeded (yes, important)
• White or yellow onion, finely diced
• Citrus of any kind
• Tongue of steel and gut of iron

This, basically, is a really freakin hot salsa...  In Mexico, my hubby and I have often requested this version of salsa. I tried to wiki it but there isn't an entry, surprisingly. However, if you google it, you will see loads of recipes, sites, articles etc. This salsa is traditional in the Yucatan Peninsula region of Mexico and it delights and surprises the Mexican staff when we ask for it because most Americans want a "Pace" version of salsa, no heat, etc. But, we think of salsa in a different way. Maybe it's my Southern roots, but salsa isn't salsa unless it has a bit of a kick. I once saw a Tabasco billboard here in MN that was hilarious. It read "Dear Minnesota, Ketchup is not a spice. Love, Louisiana"  I JUST LOVE THAT. To me, Tabasco is Mother's Milk and not only do we use a good deal of it at my house, but we keep the institutional size on hand and a spare in the pantry.  For emergencies.

These chilis I use are nothing short of dynamite, though, and have more heat, typically, than even the habanero although they are close relatives. The bevvy shown above though are from my perennial chili "trees" because as long as they don't get too cold, chili plants will live for years and years. Even before the greenhouse came into my life, I would cart these kids indoors for the winter and put them under a cheap fluorescent shop light you can get for under $10 at the hardware store.  They loved it and didn't care one bit that they were indoors. My hubby put in a shallow ebb and flow tray, put the whole thing on a timer and they produced peppers the whole winter. Semi-hydroponic. Inside. In the living room. (Yes, hubby is very tolerant and quite an enabler so when he gets a bit huffy when it gets a big jungle-like, I just have to point out his brilliant handy work and feign total innocence. It's his problem after all, that he is such a genius... :)

To make the salsa, simply mix everything together in a bowl, squeeze in your citrus juice and mix well. I cover it with plastic wrap, put it in the fridge so the flavors can marry and then keep it until it runs out. It keeps amazingly well, for weeks, if covered well and stirred occasionally.

Get Dirty - Mamaw's Cajun Dirty Rice

An Ode to my Mamaw. One of my most treasured recipes and this one can make some vegetarians fall off the wagon because it smells and tastes so good. And, the "dirty" in Dirty Rice comes from the liberal, and I mean, LIBERAL use of ground black pepper. If you can't see the pepper, it ain't DIRTY.

Liver is a must. But I don't use chicken livers, I buy beef liver because it looks like steak and has better flavor in my opinion. It also slices, chops much nicer once it cooks.

Here is the dirty rice recipe Mamaw taught me:

• celery, diced
• onions, diced
• bell pepper, green or red, diced
• 4 strips of bacon or 1/2 lb, diced; it dices much easier when very cold.
• A huge bottle of black pepper, seriously, you need a lot
• salt
• Cooked box of Minute Rice (no Minute Maid in this recipe! LOL!) instant/parboiled rice. Don't fudge, Mamaw said. It should be Minute Maid.  It cooks fluffy and perfect. Should be cooled though before mixing in the rest.
• Bunch of flat leaf parsley chopped, the whole bunch; Mamaw does not like the curly, it irritates her. LOL!  Add half to the cooled rice and half you put on top as a garnish.
• Green onions, chopped

Cook the livers like steak in a frying pan over Med-high heat and when done, chop finely. Puh you will not taste it and it's the most important ingredient to dirty rice. Kids won't even know its not hamburger unless you tell them. Set aside.

In the leftover grease of the livers, saute onions, celery, bell pepper and bacon, reserving bacon grease if you need to drain off a little.  Add this mixture once cooled to the cooled rice mixture, add the chopped liver, add half the diced green onions and half the parsley. Salt to taste.  Add the black pepper. I usually use about 1/2 c black pepper (you heard me! make sure you buy enough) but this is also to taste. Remember that the "dirty" part of dirty rice comes from the pepper so it should be a lot but not so much you can't eat it of course.

Garnish the top with the remaining parsley and green onions.  Voila.  Dirty Rice, Mamaw style, which we all know is the only style. Love you dearly, Mamaw!