Chile manzano, anyone?

The manzano is pronounced: mahn zah noh. Manzano chile peppers are relatives of the super hot habanero peppers. Manzanos are used most often in fresh form because the pods are so thick they are difficult to dry. They are great for making hot salsas. The manzano is unusual in that it has black seeds.

The manzano rates between 30,000 and 50,000 Scoville units on the heat index.

MANZANO SALSA

Ingredients:

5-6 Tomatillo

1 large Manzano (Rocoto) Chile

1/3 cup minced onion

2 cloves garlic

juice of one lime

1/4 cup cilantro minced

1/4 cup water

salt

Instructions:

Peel tomatillo and roast on a skillet with the chile on Med heat until soft and brown (aprox 10 min). Cut top off of chile to remove seeds and stem. Place in blender with garlic, lime juice, cilantro, water and salt. Blend at high speed for 1 minute. Add minced onion and stir. Serve with chips, tacos, quesadillas, etc. The flavors of the manzano and tomatillo complement one another very well. Enjoy!

Pineapple Chile Chicken

1/2 package Spinosi fettuccine

1/2 c Sam's Oil-less pesto sauce (see below)

Pineapple Chile Chicken (see below)

Pineapple Chile Chicken:

Salt to taste

1 + tsp fresh ground pepper

1 1/2 tsp cumin seed, crushed

Pam spray oil

2 tsp coriander, crushed

1 tsp dry Mexican oregano

Calvin's Chile Powder if you have it!

1 cup 1996 Lyeth Meritage wine (or any decent dry white table wine-this is a Semillon/Sauvignon blend)

2 Portobello mushrooms, small stuffing size (about 3" diameter), halved 1/4" slices

1/2 c fresh pineapple, bite size chunks -- (1/2 to 2/3)

1 pasilla chile, cleaned and diced, roasted, skin removed

2 yellow chile, cleaned and diced

1 Chile manzano, cleaned and diced (Rocoto)

2 jalapeños, cleaned and diced

1 habenero, cleaned and diced

1 chicken breast, boned, skinless, trim most of the fat, cut into 1/4" thick strips

Sam's OIL-LESS PESTO:

1/4 cup toasted pine nuts [I used 1/3 c] [Not quite oil-less, with about 1+ tsp extra virgin olive oil]

3 cups basil leaves

2 cups spinach leaves [2 cups cilantro]

8 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese [substitute 1/3 c Pecorino Romano instead]

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons mineral water -- (2 to 4)

Salt to taste

Chicken:

Toast the coriander, and cumin in a non-stick frying pan, add the oregano a bit later, until aromatic.

Sprinkle lightly with Calvin's chile powder if you have it. Over medium heat add the chicken strips, ground pepper, and spray lightly with Pam. Add some salt. Stir, cover and simmer until chicken is opaque. Stir occasionally. Add the chiles. Stir, add about 3/4 c wine and simmer. Add more wine so there's always some liquid. Adjust spices if necessary. Add the mushrooms to a skillet on medium heat, spray lightly with Pam and sauté until soft. Add the pineapple and cook until it starts to clear. Add the chile chicken mix, stir occasionally until hot. Cook the pasta at this time and grate some Romano.

Pesto:

Put nuts, basil, spinach, garlic, cheese, lemon juice and pepper in a food processor. Puree. [Add the olive oil.] Gradually add mineral water until desired consistency is achieved.

Manzano Chile Recipes

I agree i think it was Discovery brand or the other one in the yellow bottle they used to sell em in Asda but had to pull them as they were too hot for the average consumer - my goodness they were hot - sore bottom inthe morning.

Oh, please be VERY careful.

I tasted these on a farm in Toluca, MX,

and they were so hot that the family was accoustomed to putting one TINY chip of the pepper into about 2c. of soup!!!!!

They are so riduculously hot!!!!!!

Be very careful and use citrus to clean your hands afterward, and don't touch your eyes of private areas!!!!!!!

Buy one and taste it and make up a recipe.