Sweet and flaming mango habanero salsa makes a beautiful centerpiece served in pineapple shells. This quick, fresh recipe bursting with tropical fruit flavor can be tailored to your taste for spiciness.
Lay one 3 pound pineapple on its side and cut fruit in half with a large chef's knife. Stop at the leafy portion. Then with pineapple still on its side, position the knife at the bottom end. Slide the knife up to the leafy portion and slice through the leaves using a rocking motion.
Remove pineapple core by cutting a strip down the center. Angle knife to a v shape so the cut is narrow near the bottom rind.
Use a small serrated knife to cut around the inside rim of the pineapple shell. Then slice fruit horizontally into four to five sections. Take care not to cut through the bottom of the rind or your pineapple bowls will leak.
Use a large spoon to remove chunks of pineapple. Scrape the inside bottom of the shell but don't pierce through the rind.
If necessary, slice a thin piece of rind off the bottom of the pineapple to make it sit flat. Take care not to cut deep enough to make a hole in the bottom though.
Blend pineapple with whole peppers
Place pineapple flesh in a blender with 4 whole habanero peppers, 1 tsp. sea salt, 2 cloves garlic, sliced, and 2 tablespoons lime juice.
Secure a lid on the blender and blend on high speed briefly until habanero peppers are fully disintegrated.
Dice mangoes and slice cilantro
Peel 3-4 whole mangoes and dice into small squares about ¼-inch across. Finely slice ¼ cup cilantro leaves.
Combine pineapple and mango mixtures
Pour blended pineapple into a mixing bowl. Add mango and cilantro and stir to mix.
Fill pineapple shells
Divide salsa between the two hollowed-out pineapple shells.
Serve
Garnish salsa with ½ teaspoon red chili flakes if desired. Serve with a spoon for any accompanying dish.
Store
Store salsa in the refrigerator for 5 days or in the freezer for one month.
Notes
Ingredients
Use ripe mangoes that leave a thumbprint indent when squeezed.
Fresh, ripe mangoes taste amazing and are the best, but you can substitute frozen mango.
Look for low acid pineapples like Maui Gold, Sugar Loaf, and Aus Jubilee
If your pineapple is extra juicy, hold back some of the juice from the recipe. About ¼ cup of juice is all that is needed.
Habaneros are HOT. Choose peppers with a lower Scoville rating is you aren't accustomed to them.
Pull off any stems from hot peppers and add them whole to the blender. Wash your hands once and you're set.
Equipment
A sharp professional chef's knife like the MAC 8-inch knifeis best for cutting a pineapple in half.
A smaller serrated knife like Kai Pure Komachiis best for removing the core and flesh.
Preparation
Use a rocking motion along the length of the leafy part of the pineapple to cut all the way through.
Angle knife to cut the core out in a v-shape with the narrow point closest to the rind.
Take extra care when removing core and pineapple flesh not to cut through rind. That way your pineapple bowls won't leak when filled.
You can level the bottom of hollowed-out pineapple shells to make bowls sit flat. In many cases, it's not needed. If you do decide to trim the bottom be careful not to pierce through the rind, just as with removing flesh.
Serve
Pineapple Mango Habanero Salsa can be served chilled or at room temperature.
Store
Store leftover salsa covered in the refrigerator up to 5 days. Freeze covered salsa for up to one month and thaw on a counter or in the refrigerator overnight before serving.