Fire and Ice
This chile pepper gets its name from its origin. In Spanish, serrano is an adjective meaning “from the mountains” which is where it originated-in the mountains of Hildalgo, Mexico. The serrano is normally about twice as hot as Jalapeno (about 10,000 to 15,000 Scoville units).It is the second most popular chile pepper in Mexico. This chile is used mostly for salsas but can also be used in soups, sauces, chili or stews.Try these as a hotter substitute for Jalapeno.
Ingredients
1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon honey
1/4 cup water
4 cup ruby-red grapefruit juice — strained
1 ripe papaya
1/4 teaspoon minced Serrano pepper
1 tablespoon chopped mint
1 tablespoon lime juice
Instructions
1. ICE: Combine 1/4 cup honey and the water in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Cool.
2. Whisk in juice and transfer to a shallow 1 1/2-qt. freezer proof container. Freeze at least 8 hrs.
3. FIRE (salsa): Peel papaya, halve and scrape out seeds. Cut flesh into l/2-in. chunks to make 1 1/2 cups.
4. Combine half of papaya, minced chili, mint and lime juice in a medium bowl. Drizzle with 1 tbsp. honey and toss. Refrigerate 30 min., mixing occasionally.
5. To serve, add remaining papaya to salsa. Remove ice from freezer and chop into fine chunks using a sturdy fork. Place a scoop of grapefruit ice in a bowl or stemware glass and top with salsa.