Jalapeno Fruit Salsa — for dessert!

A client I’ve enjoyed developing recipes for over the years is Häagan-Dazs Ice Cream. The projects are usually to create a recipe with a new ice cream flavor, so I get a sample carton before it’s even on the grocery shelf. Often. my first thought is. “this ice cream is already so delicious, what dessert can I create to make the ice cream even better?”  But I always come up with ideas, and oh well, someone has to do it! 

A few years ago Mayan Chocolate was the new flavor up for experimentation. My family had just vacationed in Cabo San Lucas and one of my daughters thought fruit salsa would be a natural for the Mexican-themed ice cream. Why not? I experimented with fresh fruits and various heat-producing ingredients like jalapeno, ground cayenne pepper, and crystallized ginger. My favorite combinations were strawberries and mango with jalapeno, and strawberries and pineapple with ginger. 

Sadly for this recipe, the Mayan Chocolate was a short-run special flavor no longer available. But any good dark chocolate ice cream would be excellent runners up.

Don’t be shy with the hot pepper in the salsa because dairy neutralizes some of the capsaicim, which is the heat producing compound in chiles. To get the full flavor contrast of heat and sweet with the chocolate ice cream, the salsa needs to be spicy.  Hope you like it! 

An original recipe by Rosemary Mark for Häagan–Dazs         Photo: Eskite Photography

Print Recipe

Jalapeno Fruit Salsa

This is a sweet-spicy salsa — for ice cream and also delicious as a chip dip! Dice the fruit small, about 1/4-inch, so all the flavors will be in each bite. And if jalapeno sounds too far from you range, substitute chopped crystallized ginger, and swap pineapple for the mango if you like.

Prep Time10 mins

Ingredients

• 1 cup diced strawberries 1/4-inch
• 1 cup diced mango 1/4-inch
• 1-2 Tbsp. minced jalapeno or serrano chile pepper heat varies, you may need a little more or less
• 1 tsp. granulated sugar

Instructions

• Combine strawberries and mango.  Stir in chile and sugar. Adjust amount of chile to taste.
• Let stand at room temperature 1 hour for flavors to blend.  (Or refrigerate up to 12 hours.)  Spoon over servings of chocolate ice cream.

Ginger Fruit Salsa variation

• Substitute diced pineapple for mango, and chopped crystallized ginger for the chile.

Notes

I like to wear disposable food-safe gloves when handling chiles, to avoid accidently contacting skin or eyes with the capsaicin compound which can burn. Before chopping chiles, slice the stem off, then cut lengthwise and scrape out the seeds and membrane with the tip of a knife.  Wash knife and cutting board thoroughly after use because the capsaicin can transfer to other foods!