The Habanero (Capsicum chinense) is the hottest chile pepper in the world, measuring between 200,000 and 300,000 Scoville Units (the hottest jalapeno measures only 5000 S.U.) Pepper connoisseurs the world over consider it to be the finest variety known to man. Using only the highest quality ingredients, Melinda's blends fresh carrots, onions, garlic, and a hint of lime juice with the Habanero. The result is a pepper sauce that harmonizes heat and flavor without the overpowering pungency found in traditional vinegar-based hot sauces. Melinda's vegetable base allows you to spice your food without drowning out the original flavor.

Naturally hot, vegetable base

5 FL OZ. (148 ML)

Recipes:
Camarones de Infierno
Steak Ranchero
West Indies Salsa
All-American Hamburgers
Cuban Fricasee of Chicken
Guacamole
Melinda’s® Beef Stew
Melinda’s® Chili con Frejoles Blanco
(Meatless Great Northern Bean Chili)
Melinda’s® Marinade for Lamb, Country Ribs & Poultry
Melinda’s® Pasta del Fuego
Melinda's® Shrimp Scampi
Melinda's® Slow Cooker Chicken Chili
Melinda's® Slow Cooker Chili
Melinda's® Slow Cooker Stuffing
Melinda’s® Spanish Breakfast Burritos
Melinda’s® Spicy Black Bean Soup
Melinda’s® Spicy Roast Cornish Hens
Melinda's® Tamale Pie
Melinda’s® Tequila Relish
Piononos
Spicy BBQ Shrimp

Ingredients:
Fresh Carrots, Choice Red Habanero Peppers, Onions, Lime Juice, Vinegar, Garlic and Salt

Nutrition Facts:
Serving size: 5g, Servings: 28, Amount per serving: Calories 0, Total Fat 0g (0% DV), Sodium 55mg (2% DV), Total Carb 0g (0% DV), Sugars 0g, Protein 0g, Vitamin A (6% DV), Vitamin C (4% DV).
Percent Daily Value (DV) are based on 2000 calorie diet.

Melinda's® Camarones de
Infierno
These "shrimps from hell" are best when fresh shrimp–rather than frozen–are used.

12 large fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined, heads removed and tails left on
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons Melinda’s® Hot Sauce (or more to taste)
1 teaspoon minced fresh cayenne or piquin chile
1 teaspoon minced serrano chile
1 teaspoon lime juice, fresh preferred
1/4 cup white wine
2 tablespoons butter
Chopped fresh cilantro

Saute the shrimp in the oil in a skillet, tossing constantly until they just turn pink. Add the garlic, hot sauce, minced chiles, lime juice, and wine. Toss briefly.

Remove from the heat and add the butter a little at a time, stirring until an emulsion is formed.

Serve over white rice with the cilantro as a garnish.

Yield: 2 servings

Steak Ranchero
This is a quick and simple dish to prepare, sort of a south of the border stir-fry. The steak mixture can be served in the tortillas if desired.

1 medium onion, cut in thin wedges and separated
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons Melinda’s® Hot Sauce (or more to taste)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound sirloin steak, julienne cut in 3/4-inch wide strips
2 large tomatoes, roasted, peeled, seeds removed, chopped
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
Chopped fresh cilantro
Flour tortillas

Saute the onion, garlic, and hot sauce in the oil in a wok until the onion is softened. Add the beef and saute until the beef is browned.

Add the tomato and cumin and simmer for 2 minutes.

Garnish with the chopped cilantro and serve with warmed tortillas.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

West Indies Salsa
This wildly flavorful salsa is designed for use with intensely flavored fish such as king mackerel or tuna. Diners also love it with herb-roasted chicken or over grilled steaks.

2 cups cubed fresh mango
1/2 cup peeled, seeded, and chopped cucumber
1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaf
2 tablespoons finely chopped green onions
1/4 cup Melinda’s Hot Sauce
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice, Key lime preferred
1 1/2 teaspoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon vanilla

Combine all ingredients in a bowl, mix well, and allow to stand for 30 minutes. Serve at room temperature.

Yield: About 3 cups

All-American Hamburgers
How hot is hot? Some foods need to be grilled hot and fast, some low and slow. The recipe will specify the heat you need. To gauge how hot the coals in your grill are, hold the palm of your hand a few inches over the center of the grill rack, where the food will cook. If you can hold your hand there 2 seconds or less, the coals are hot; 3 seconds, they are medium-hot; 4 seconds, they are medium; 5 seconds, they are medium-low; and 6 seconds, they are low. When grilling indirectly, hot coals will provide medium-hot heat and medium-hot coals will provide medium heat.

1 clove garlic, minced, or 2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon Melinda's Steak Sauce
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon cooking oil
Few dashes Melinda’s Habanero Hot Pepper Sauce
1 pound lean ground beef
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 hamburger buns
American cheese slices (optional)
Lettuce leaves (optional)
Tomato slices (optional)
Red onion slices (optional)
Pickle slices (optional)
1 teaspoon vinegar

1. For sauce, in a small saucepan combine garlic or onion, ketchup, steak sauce, Worcestershire sauce, sugar, cooking oil, vinegar, and Melinda’s Habanero Hot Pepper Sauce. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Remove from heat; set aside.

2. In a medium mixing bowl combine ground beef, salt, and pepper; mix well. Shape meat mixture into four 3/4-inch-thick patties.

3. To Cook by Direct Grill Method: Grill meat on the grill rack of an uncovered grill directly over medium coals for 14 to 18 minutes or until no pink remains, turning once halfway through grilling time and brushing frequently with sauce.

4. To serve, split and toast the buns on the grill. Serve patties in buns with cheese, lettuce, tomato, red onion, and pickle, if desired. Makes 4 servings.

Make-Ahead Tip: Prepare sauce; cover and chill up to 24 hours. Prepare and shape burgers. Cover with plastic wrap and chill up to 2 hours before grilling.

Cuban Fricasee of Chicken
2 tbsp. Olive Oil
3 lb. Chicken thighs, boneless, skinless
3 tbsp. Butter
1 Yellow onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 Red Bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
3 Tomatoes, chopped
4 Cloves Garlic, mined
2 Potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 cubes
1 cup White Wine
1 tsp. Dried Oregano
1/2 tsp. Melinda’s Hot Sauce
1 tsp. Ground Cumin
Salt & Pepper to taste
1/3 cup pitted Green Olives, sliced
1/3 cup frozen peas, thawed
2 tbsp. capers
1/4-cup raisins

1. Heat the oil in a large non-stick sauté pan over medium high heat. Cook the highs for 5-7 minutes until brown.
2. In a large pot over medium high heat, add the butter and sauté the onion and pepper for 3 minutes. Add the tomato and garlic and cook 3 more minutes. Add the chicken, potatoes, stock, seasonings, white wine, Melinda’s and salt & pepper. Reduce to a simmer and cook 20 minute covered until chicken is tender.
3. Add the olives, peas, capers and raisins and simmer 5-10 minutes more.
4. Serve at once over white rice.

Guacamole
2 large ripe avocados
1/2 cup plain yogurt
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed limejuice
2 teaspoons Spectrum Naturals Flax Oil
2 teaspoons Spectrum Naturals Olive Oil
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 garlic granules
1/4 cup yellow pepper, diced
1/4 cup red pepper, diced
2 tablespoons diced red onion
1/2 teaspoon Melinda’s Original Habanero Pepper Sauce

Peel & mash the avocados with a fork in a medium sized bowl. Add the yogurt, limejuice, flax oil, olive oil, seasonings and stir well. Fold in the chopped peppers, Melinda’s & onion. Chill and serve with baked pita chips in a scooped out red, green or yellow bell pepper or an acorn squash bowl.

Makes 3 Cups

Melinda’s®
Beef Stew
2 1/2 lbs. beef stew meat
5 lg. potatoes, cut in chunks
1 med. onion, chopped (not fine)
4 lg. carrots, chopped in chunks
3 lg. celery sticks (cut into small pieces)
1 1/2 c. tomato juice
1/2 c. dry red wine or water
1/4 c. quick cooking tapioca
2 tsp. salt
2 sm. bay leaves
1 tsp. dried basil
1/4 tsp. Melinda’s Hot Sauce

Mix all ingredients in 4 or 6 quart slow cooker. Cover and cook at setting #3 (low) for 7 to 9 hours or at setting #5 (high) for 3 to 4 hours until meat and vegetables are tender. (Stir stew several times throughout cooking time.)

Melinda's® Chili con Frejoles Blanco
(Meatless Great Northern Bean Chile)
4 cups Great Northern white beans, soaked overnight
4 tablespoons olive oil
6 pounds large yellow onions, peeled and coarsely chopped
6 large carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped
6 celery ribs, trimmed and coarsely chopped
8 garlic cloves, finely chopped
6 green Poblano, New Mexico, or Anaheim chiles, roasted, peeled, seeded, and finely chopped, or 2 cans chopped mild green chiles
2 to 3 fresh jalapeño peppers, seeded and finely chopped
4 large ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and coarsely chopped, or 1 can whole tomatoes, drained and coarsely chopped
1 bunch parsley, finely chopped
1 cup finely chopped cilantro
2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
3 quarts vegetable broth, chicken broth, or water
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
2 bay leaves
Salt, to taste
2 tablespoons of Melinda’s® Hot Sauce

DIRECTIONS:
Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Saute the onions, carrots, and celery for 10 to 15 minutes. Add the garlic and chiles and saute, stirring, for 2 minutes longer. Stir in tomatoes, parsley, cumin, oregano, and thyme.

Drain the beans and add them together with 2 1/2 quarts of the broth or water to the pot with the vegetables. Add black pepper and bay leaves.

Simmer, uncovered, over low heat, for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, until beans are tender and the chili has thickened. Check the chili frequently while it is cooking and add more broth or water if necessary. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add more Melinda’s® X if you like it hotter.
Stir in chopped cilantro and fresh thyme leaves.

Yield: 8-10 servings

Melinda’s® Marinade for Lamb, Country Ribs & Poultry
4 Large Garlic Crushed
1/2 tsp. Salt
1/2 tsp. Pepper
1 tsp. Melinda's Hot Pepper Sauce
4 tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce
4 tbsp.. Fresh Lemon Juice
1/2 tspn Thyme
1 tbsp. Oregano
1 tbsp. Cilantro (Fresh if Available)
1/3 Cup Olive Oil

Mix all the above ingredients with a fork until well blended. Pour over meat and marinade overnight.

Melinda's®
Pasta del Fuego
3 Tablespoons of Melinda’s® Hot or Extra Hot Sauce
1 red pepper
1 green pepper
10-12 fresh mushrooms
2 teaspoons of pureed garlic
1 stick of butter or margarine
3 tablespoons of olive oil
1/4 of cream or milk
1/4 cup of grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup of grated romano cheese
1 lb. of fettuccine or similar pasta

DIRECTIONS:
Dice mushrooms, red and green peppers. On medium heat, lightly coat a large saucepan with olive oil and saute garlic, mushrooms and peppers for five minutes.

Reduce heat and add Melinda’s® X or XX, butter, cream or milk, and cheeses. Stir briskly and allow to simmer for 6 minutes. Remove from heat and cover pan to allow sauce to thicken.

In a large pot, bring water to a boil adding a pinch of salt and a dash of olive oil. Cook fettuccine in boiling water for 10 minutes, drain and rinse quickly with cold water.

Yield: 6 servings

Melinda's® Shrimp Scampi
1 pound cleaned shrimp
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons Melinda’s Garlic Sauce
Juice of ½ lemon
½ cup dry white wine
pinch of Melinda’s hot sauce
salt and pepper to taste

Heat the butter and oil in a skillet over medium-hot heat until foam subsides. Add the garlic sauce, parsley, lemon juice, wine, hot sauce, salt and pepper (be careful this mixture may pop when heated). Bring to a boil, lower heat, and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Add shrimp and cook, stirring frequently, for 5-6 minutes till shrimp are pink. Remove from heat. Place on serving plate and pour remaining sauce from skillet over shrimp. Serve immediately.

Makes 2 servings. 7 net grams of carbohydrate

Melinda's® Slow Cooker Chili
2 lb. ground beef
1 c. chopped green pepper
1 (28 oz.) can whole tomatoes, undrained
2 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. chili powder
1 1/2 c. chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, finely cut
2 (16 oz.) cans kidney beans, undrained
1 tsp. Melinda’s Hot Sauce

Preheat pot on range top until over medium heat add beef and brown. Remove from stove; place pot on base. Add onions, peppers, garlic, tomatoes, kidney beans, salt, chili powder and Melinda’s. Stir well. Cover and let simmer at mid
setting for 7 hours. Makes 8-10 servings. Serve with your favorite trimmings and enjoy.

Melinda's®
Slow Cooker
Chicken Creole
3 lbs. chicken pieces
1 med. onion, chopped
1 pepper, cut in strips
1/2 c. chopped celery
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. thyme
1/2 tsp. paprika
2 tsp. parsley
1 (1 lb.) can tomatoes
1/4 lb. can mushrooms & pieces
1/2 teaspoon Melinda’s Hot Sauce

Put all on high cook into crock pot for 4 to 5 hours

Melinda's® Slow
Cooker Stuffing
1 stick butter
8 oz. mushrooms, drained
1 1/2 to 2 tsp. poultry seasoning
12 c. toasted bread cubes
2 beaten eggs
1 c. finely chopped onion
1 c. finely chopped celery
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. Melinda’s Hot Sauce
1 1/2 c. chicken bouillon

Melt butter in skillet. Add onion and celery. Saute until tender. Stir in sliced mushrooms. Combine salt, Melinda’s and poultry seasoning. Sprinkle over bread cubes. Add eggs and chicken bouillon. Toss thoroughly. Spoon lightly into slow cooker. Cover and cook on HIGH for 1 hour. Reduce to LOW and continue cooking 1 to 2 hours

Melinda's® Spanish Breakfast Burritos
8 eggs
1 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 small Spanish or yellow onion, diced
3 Roma tomatoes, diced
8 mushrooms, sliced
2 green onions, chopped fine
3/4 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
2 1/2 tablespoons of Sour cream
Melinda’s® Hot or Mild Salsa
Melinda’s® Black Bean Dip
Melinda’s® XX or XXX to taste
1 1/2 tablespoons of butter
6 medium size flour tortillas

DIRECTIONS:
Place eggs in a mixing bowl. In a large sauté pan melt butter over medium heat and sauté red bell pepper, Spanish onion and mushrooms. Cook well but don’t allow vegetables to get soggy. Pour in eggs, sour cream,Melinda’s® XX or XXX to taste and tomatoes, scramble slowly. When eggs begin to firm, fold in cheese and remove from heat. Warm tortillas and spread a layer of Melinda’s® Black Bean Dip with a little sour cream. Place eggs on tortilla and roll upburrito style in a flour tortilla with a side of Melinda’s® Hot or Mild Salsa and Melinda’s® Black Bean Dip with a side of sour cream.

Yield: 6 servings

Melinda's® Spicy Black Bean Soup
1 1/2 pounds dried black beans, soaked overnight and drained
8 pieces of seasoning meat (ham, cubed into 1 1/2 to 2 inch pieces)
4 cups chicken stock
4 cups water
1/3 cup of fresh cilantro leaves, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 red onion, finely chopped
1 green pepper, seeded and finely chopped
Fresh ground black pepper and salt
1 tablespoon of Melinda’s® Hot or Extra Hot
1/2 wedge of orange
10 whole cloves
2 teaspoons cooking oil

DIRECTIONS:
Over high heat put oil in a heavy stockpot and brown seasoning meat for 2 minutes. Reduce heat to a low simmer and add garlic, onion, green pepper until onions turn clear.
.
Place the beans in the stockpot add the stock and water. Add salt, black pepper, cilantro and Melinda’s® X or XX. Stick the orange wedge with the cloves and add to the beans. Bring to a boil over moderate heat, then lower the heat to simmer and stir periodically, keeping pot covered. Cook the beans for about 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until they soften. Uncover and stir over low heat until the beans appear to thicken.
Remove the orange with the cloves in it and allow to cool. Using a hand blender, mash beans into thick paste. Strain beans using a wooden spoon to push mixture through strainer into a bowl discarding bean hulls. Put beans back in pot and add some stock or water until a soup consistency is achieved. Serve in a bowl garnished with chopped green onion, shredded Monterrey Jack cheese, sour cream and tortilla chips.

Yield: 8 servings

Melinda's® Spicy
Roast Cornish Hens
5 teaspoons Melinda’s® Hot Sauce
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1 cup chopped flat leaf parsley
2 teaspoons rosemary
2 teaspoons
juice of 1 lime
5 tablespoons soft butter or olive oil
salt & pepper to taste
6 cornish hens

DIRECTIONS:
Pureé all seasoning ingredients in food processor, or blender. Preheat oven to 400¾. Wash hens blot dry loosen skin from breast meat & thigh spread 1/2 of the mixture under skin rub skin to spread well, rub remaining mixture over breast of hen roast on rack 30 to 40 min. ( till juices run clear when pricked.)

Yield: 6 servings

Melinda's® Tamale Pie
1 lb. ground turkey
3/4 c. yellow cornmeal
1 1/2 c. milk
1 egg, beaten
1/2 teaspoon Melinda’s Hot Sauce
1 pkg. (1 1/4 oz.) chili seasoning mix
1 can (16 oz.) whole kernel corn, drained
1 can (16 oz.) tomatoes, cut up
1 c. grated cheese

Brown meat and drain. In bowl, mix cornmeal, Melinda’s, milk and egg. Add drained meat, dry chili mix, tomatoes and corn. Stir. Pour into regular sized slow cooker. Cover and cook 1 hour on high, then 3 hours on low. Sprinkle with cheese. Cook another 5 minutes. (6 servings.)

Melinda’s® Tequila, Black Bean and Corn Relish
4 ripe roma tomatoes chopped
2 ears fresh corn cut from cob
1/2 cup black beans (canned)
1/2 cup purple onion chopped fine
1/4 cup red bell pepper chopped
2 green onions chopped
1/4 cup of gold tequila
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 clove garlic minced
4 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. fresh cilantro chopped
3 tbsp. Melinda's Hot Sauce
1/2 tsp. dry basil
salt to taste

Heat oil in medium saucepan. Add corn and purple onion. Sauté until corn is cooked (about 3 minutes). Add green onions, basil, red bell pepper and garlic, sauté one minute. Add black beans, lime juice, tequila, stir. Add tomatoes, cilantro and Melinda's, sauté 1 minute. Serve over cooked pasta, rice, chicken or fish.

You can serve this relish as a salsa. Try a trio of corn chips, plantain chips and Yuca chips.

Piononos
2 large ripe plantains (dark yellow to brown), peeled and sliced into 4ths lengthwise
1/2-cup olive oil
1 can 15 oz. Black beans, drained
1/2 tsp. Ground Cumin
1/4 tsp. Melinda’s Hot Sauce
Salt & Pepper to taste
1/2 lb. Pork Sausage, skin removed and sautéed
1 cup Grated Monterey Jack Cheese

1. In an approximately 12" non-stick skillet, heat oil over moderately high heat until oil is hot but not smoking. Cook the plantain slices, being careful not to break them until golden brown. About 1 to 2 minutes on each side. Allow to cool on paper towels.
2. Remove the oil only leaving 1 tbsp of the oil in the pan. Sauté the sausage until golden brown. Add cumin, Melinda’s and black beans.
3. Shape each plantain slice into a ring overlapping each slice by 1" and secure the ends with a toothpick.
4. Place the rings in a baking dish without them touching each other.
5. Fill each ring with black bean and sausage mixture until filled.
6. Top each ring with Monterey Jack and bake in a 350° oven for 10-15 minutes.

Spicy BBQ Shrimp
Monkfish is slightly sweet and mild and, when cooked, has a meat-like consistency. Ask the seafood manager for something similar in texture if monkfish is not available.

2 pounds large shrimp, uncooked,
pull the skin/tails off
1 cup olive oil
1 lemon, juiced
2 tablespoons hot pepper sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tablespoon Melinda’s Garlic Hot Pepper Sauce
1 tablespoon tomato paste (I just use ketchup)
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
A few dashes of Melinda’s Habanero
Hot Pepper Sauce
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (original called for parsley)

In a large bowl, mix together all of the ingredients except the shrimp. Let sit overnight at room temperature in a tupperware container, shaking occasionally as the ingredients settle. This should really “infuse” the oil with flavor. Dip each shrimp in the marinade to fully coat, and then put all of the shrimp and marinade in a container and put in the fridge for several hours, flipping occasionally to distribute marinade. Or just do all the above at once.

While preheating your bbq grill, skewer shrimp. Put on the grill for a few minutes, flipping once. You should not have to brush w/marinade. Serve over rice, pasta, or as-is.