Habenero Mandarin Salsa

Habanero Mandarin Salsa pictured on left

Ingredients

• 1/2 habenero*, seeded and cut into long, thin strips
• 1-2 carrots, shaved with a vegetable peeler
• 4 cloves of garlic, crushed with side of knife but you want to keep them mainly whole
• 1 1/2 cup water
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup vinegar (good vinegar - white or cider, I like the simplicity of white; use Heinz or other reputable brand, if possible)
• 1-2 cans of mandarin oranges

Instructions

1. Pickle the carrots, peppers, and garlic
2. How to pickle - heat water and sugar on the stove until the sugar dissolves, add the vinegar until the whole mixture is warm (not quite boiling).  Pour liquid mixture into a separate bowl (we don't want to cook vegetables, we want them crisp still. But the water must be warm to pickle properly). Put carrots, garlic and  pepper in the bowl with the water.  Let this sit for 10 minutes or so, letting the carrots and peppers pick up the garlic and vinegar. Strain the mixture and pick out the garlic.
3. Mix the pickled vegetables with 1 can of mandarin oranges. If you are worried about the spice level, you can use 2 cans (but the habenero should be cut small enough that you won't get big chunks in a single bite)

Serve on top of the Mexican Pulled Pork tacos.

*Habanero peppers are very hot and will burn your skin while cutting.  Use plastic gloves while handling these peppers.