What a lovely gift. Since capsaisin(the chemical that we perceive as hot in hot peppers) is fat soluble it is likely a very very hot oil. I would use a tiny amount along with sesame or regular cooking oil to saute vegetables. Or mix with normal olive oil and brush on bread toast and top with fresh chopped tomatoes and have a lovely brushetta

I'm not a big fan of weird specialty products that will sit in the cupboard unused and be a burden every time you see it. I've thrown away so many fancy things like this that just became clutter. A nice gift to me would be a lovely, versatile bottle of plain olive oil. I can add all the heat I want in the form of fresh peppers, cayenne, tabasco etc.

Here are a couple of recipes: http://www.oliveoiletc.com/pages/citrus-habanero-olive-oil

a little bit on some pasta is really good.

I would use it to marinate something. Like chicken or beef for fajitas. Or maybe use it in thai beef salad. Use just a little bit of course and if necessary dilute it with other oils.

I would drizzle a bit in with hummus- 101 cookbooks has you make a fire oil for one of her recipes, and I think you could sub a bit of your oil for that. You can also mix it with a bit of regular olive oil to dilute it, and cook any number of things in it- a stir fry or roasted veggies come to mind. I also mix chili oil in my tomato sauce to give it a bit of a kick. I'm sure it's usable- just mix it in with things and start with just a little and then you can add more until you get the level of heat you like.

I am a sucker for hot spicy food and thus have a stock of really hot spices in the cupboard. I understand that not everybody is into it. However, when i cook I always use a drop or two of my spices to add some flavor to my recipes. This way it adds to the flavor without being too hot for taste.

helicat's suggestion of using it for marinating meat is the first thing that actually came to mind. It can bring out the flavor of your marinated meat by adding a little "kick" to the flavor.

Instead of using it as all of the oil in a dish, I would try getting a dropper and just using a tiny bit in addition to regular olive oil. Five or six drops in vinaigrette, or mixed with another oil in tomato sauce might be nice. There probably isn't much you can do to make the oil itself less hot.

Also, don't feel bad if you don't like and just want to toss it. It's just oil, after all. :)

Maybe mix a little into guacamole?

You could always just regift it to a friend who loves very spicy food?

I would mix it with a sweeter base like honey. One of my favorite sauces is a honey habanero vinaigrette.

This may sound nuts, but--you could also add a drop or two to a brownie batter. Martha Stewart's Mexican Hot-Chocolate cookies have a similar pairing going on, and they're fantastic.

I received a habanero infused olive oil and had the same question.... it's actually great to mix with a bit of regular olive oil for stove top popcorn! I also add old bay or some truffle salt.

Pour it mixed with a simple olive oil over a nice piece of parmesan or another sheep cheese - the older, the better. Add a little of rosemary of thym. Dont forget french or italian bread to go with.

You should try Jamie Oliver's Fiery Dan Dan Noodles. His recipe calls for 5 TABLESPOONS of chili oil. So far 1 TABLESPOON added to the recipe is my boyfriend and my max. (And he LOVES spicy food.)

http://maudeandbetty.blogspot.com/2012/05/fiery-dan-dan-noodles.html

We mix our with regular olive oil and then toss quartered Brussels sprouts or broccoli florets in it and then roast them. We've also used this mixture on asparagus--- swipe some on with a basting brush and then grill the asparagus on the BBQ.

Thanks everyone! Just to clarify - we aren't necessarily wimps with spicy foods (at least my husband isn't... I have a bit more trouble) but this oil is legit insanely spicy, even for those who can handle pretty spicy things. These suggestions are great though and we will definitely try some of them! We're big Jamie Oliver fans and I can't wait to try the dan dan noodles recipe.