A new low-temperature, one-pot method is introduced for the preparation of organically passivated HgTe nanocrystals, without the use of highly toxic precursors. The nanocrystals show bright photoluminescence in the infrared telecommunication windows about 1300 and 1550 nm with quantum efficiencies between 55 and 60%. They have a zinc blende structure with a mean particle diameter of 3.4 nm, thus exhibiting quantum confinement effects. Particle growth is self-limited by temperature quenching, so a narrow size distribution is obtained. The measured size of the particles agrees with calculations using the pseudopotential method.