Homemade Chips and Habanero Salsa

Salsa is a great treat to eat and make. Making it forces you to find that balance between sweetness, tartness, spicy, salty and bitter. It's a great lesson in combining flavors.



Two cups canned San Marzano tomatoes, pureed or fresh ripe tomatoes if in season
1/4 medium onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, sliced
Cilantro, one handful, chopped
1/2 habanero pepper
Cumin
Salt
Olive oil
Honey
Lime juice

For the chips:

Flour tortilla
Ancho chili powder
Salt

Take two tortillas, stack them and cut into eighths with a pizza wheel or a knife. The yield will be 16 chips. Cut up more tortillas for more chips.

Place the tortilla chips on a cookie sheet and bake in a 350 oven until blistering and brown - about 20-25 minutes. While they bake, make the salsa.

Check the habanero pepper for heat by cutting off a little sliver and tasting it. If your tongue is on fire, you got a hot one. If not, you might want to try 1/2 a habanero. You can use other spicy peppers. You can even use cayenne pepper or your favorite hot sauce for that spicy kick.

Blend the tomatoes. Add all the other ingredients to the blender and blend until smooth. Adjust the seasonings as desired. Why the olive oil? It adds a shine to finished product.

When the chips are done, season with salt and ancho chili powder.

Enjoy!