Mike’s Hot Spicy Food Recipes

• ¼ cup fresh orange juice
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 cups cranberries, coarsely chopped
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 poblano chile
• ¼ cup coarsely chopped toasted pecans
• 2 tablespoons grated orange zest
• 1/3 cup chopped cilantro leaves
• Salt and pepper to taste

Place orange juice and sugar in a small heavy saucepan and heat over medium, stirring, until sugar is dissolved, about 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cranberries; allow to cool to room temperature.

Char the skin of the red bell pepper and the poblano chile by putting them over a gas flame, under a broiler or on a hot barbecue grill. When blackened all over, put them in a bowl and cover them with plastic wrap or place in a bag to create steam; when cool enough to handle, scrape the skin off, remove the stem and seeds, and chop into ¼-inch dice.

Put cooled cranberry mixture in a medium bowl. Stir in the diced pepper and chile, the pecans and the orange zest. The salsa may be made a day ahead up to this point. Add the chopped cilantro and season to taste with salt and pepper just before serving.

Makes about 2½ cups.