AVOCADO DIP
This dip surely belongs to one of the most famous dishes from Mexico and cannot, of course, be allowed to be missing from this cookbook. Guacamole is a good first step toward light, spicy Mexican cuisine.
PRODUCES ABOUT 1 CUP (250 g)
1 shallot
½ Serrano chili pepper
1 small garlic clove
1 bunch cilantro
1 ripe, aromatic avocado (i.e. Hass avocado)
1 lime
salt
PREPARATION
1. Peel the shallot and finely mince. Wearing kitchen gloves, finely chop the Serrano chili pepper. It should not be too spicy, so cut the chili lengthwise and remove the seeds. Peel the garlic clove and finely chop it. Wash the cilantro, shake it dry, and finely chop the leaves. Shell the avocado and mash the pulp.
2. Divide the lime into thirds and squeeze out the juice with your hand, or halve and use a special lime press to squeeze out the juice.
3. Stir all the ingredients together in a bowl and salt. Place the avocado pit in the mix. Cover the bowl with kitchen wrap and store in the refrigerator. Guacamole certainly tastes best when freshly prepared.
SCOTT’S TIP:
On page 27, we show you how you can prevent your guacamole from discoloring.
Guacamole (r.), Mexican Salsa (recipe page 53), Mango Salsa recipe page 52), and Tortillas (recipe page 28)
MANGO SALSA (Salsa with Fresh Mango and Chili)
This salsa tastes best when prepared with ripe mangos. The color is not an indication of its ripeness, but rather the kind of mango species. Choose mangos that sink in gently after a light squeeze. Some black spots on the skin are a further indication of ripeness. Mangos that have not yet been cut can be taken home and left in a paper bag to ripen.
MAKES ABOUT 1 CUP (250 g)
2 ripe, aromatic mangos
3 scallions or green onions
1 Jalapeño chili pepper
1 tablespoon smoke-dried red
pepper (from a glass jar)
½ bunch cilantro
1 lime
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper
PREPARATION
1. Peel the mangos over a large bowl and save the juice. Finely dice the pulp.
2. Clean the scallions, cut just past the light-green part, wash them, and cut them into roulettes.
3. Wearing kitchen gloves, cut the Jalapeño chili pepper in half, lengthwise. According to your desired level of spiciness, remove all or only a few seeds. Finely chop the husk.
4. Lift the smoke-dried red pepper from liquid and dice.
5. Wash the cilantro, shake it dry, and chop the leaves.
6. Wash the lime, dry it, and finely grate the skin, enough for 1 teaspoon. Cut the lime lengthwise into thirds, squeeze with your hand, or cut it into halves and squeeze out juice with a special lime press.
7. Mix all of the ingredients together in a bowl and season with salt and pepper as desired.
MEXICAN SALSA (Salsa with Tomatoes and Chilies)
This spicy salsa tastes best when freshly prepared, is a perfect dip with totopos, and is a terrific side dish.
MAKES ABOUT 3⅓ CUPS (800 ml)
1¾ pounds (800 g) ripe tomatoes
1 shallot
1 Serrano chili pepper
1 bunch cilantro
1–2 limes, as desired
salt
PREPARATION
1. Remove the stalks from the tomatoes. Wash and halve them. Scrape out the seeds, dice the flesh, and leave them in a colander to drain for twenty minutes.
2. Peel the shallot and chop.
3. Wearing kitchen gloves, cut the Serrano chili pepper in half lengthwise, scrape out the seeds, and finely cut the flesh.
4. Wash the cilantro, shake it dry, and finely chop the leaves.
5. Cut the lime lengthwise into thirds, squeeze with your hand, or cut it into halves and squeeze out juice with a special lime press.
6. Mix all of the ingredients together in a bowl and flavor with salt and lemon juice as desired. Serve at room temperature immediately.
GREEN SALSA (Tomatillo-Cilantro Salsa)
Because this salsa freezes perfectly, you can prepare it in huge quantities.
PRODUCES ABOUT 3 CUPS (700 ml)
1½ pounds (650 g) tomatillos (green tomatoes, canned)
1 Serrano chili pepper
1 medium-sized garlic clove
1 bunch cilantro
1 small onion
salt
PREPARATION
1. Drain the tomatillos and save the liquid. Chop the tomatillos.
2. Wearing kitchen gloves, halve the Serrano chili pepper lengthwise, remove the seeds, and chop coarsely.
3. Peel the garlic clove and chop coarsely.
4. Wash the cilantro, shake it dry, and chop the leaves coarsely.
5. Peel the onion and chop coarsely as well.
6. Blend two tablespoons of the tomatillo liquid, chilies, garlic, and onions with a hand blender or with a regular blender. Then stir in the tomatillos and process everything into a smooth puree. Season with salt and serve or freeze.
SCOTT’S TIP:
Tomatillos are not, say, special tomatoes, but rather, they are relatives of the Cape gooseberry, also known as the Physalis peruviana. Its tangy-sour flavor is typical for real Mexican cuisine. They grow very well in gardens.
CHILI SALSA
With these ingredients, you might wonder why a list of spices like allspice, clove, and cinnamon, reminds you more of Christmas than a spicy salsa. These are all flavors and aromas that are typically Mexican.
PRODUCES ABOUT 3 CUPS (750 g)
7 Ancho chili peppers
7 Pasilla chili peppers
10 cloves
10 allspice kernels
1 cinnamon stick
1 tablespoon peppercorns
1½ tablespoons salt
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 pickled Chipotle chili pepper (Chipotle en adobo)
1 onion
1 garlic clove
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 cups (500 ml) apple vinegar
PREPARATION
1. Toast the Ancho and Pasilla chili peppers in a pan on medium heat until they develop an aroma, have turned a dark color, and are a bit crispy. Place in a large, heat-resistant bowl and coat with boiling water. Steep until the water cools down to a lukewarm temperature.
2. Measure out 1 cup (250 ml) of the blanched water and pour into another bowl. Place a sieve over this bowl and squeeze the soaked chili peppers through the sieve. For best results, use a wooden spoon to squeeze out as much pulp as possible from the chili peppers.
3. Grind the cloves, allspice kernels, cinnamon stick, pepper, salt, and cumin with a mortar and pestle or with a spice grinder.
4. Drain the Chipotle en adobo. Peel the onion and chop coarsely. Peel the garlic and finely chop it. Puree the finely ground spices, the garlic, the onion, and the Chipotle chili with a hand blender until smooth.
5. Stir in the apple vinegar. Squeeze the chili puree once again through the sieve or through a food mill and mix with the seasoned chili peppers. Until use, fill the salsa in a jar or freeze it.
SCOTT’S TIP:
Mexicans are chili fans and are familiar with many types, which all taste very different from one another. For this recipe, which is very popular in our restaurant, you can find these different types of chilies online. You can find more of our recommendations in the index.
RED SALSA (Tomato-Chili Salsa)
A finely spiced dip, an aromatic salsa, and a zesty side dish for tamales.
PRODUCES ABOUT 2 CUPS (500 g)
1 pound ripe tomatoes
1 shallot
1 small garlic clove
1 tablespoon instant granular broth
1 Serrano chili pepper
1–2 tablespoons vegetable oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper
PREPARATION
1. Remove the stalks of the tomatoes. Wash the tomatoes and chop coarsely.
2. Peel the shallot and garlic clove and chop coarsely as well.
3. Stir in ¼ cup of hot water with the instant broth.
4. Wearing kitchen gloves, halve the Serrano chili peppers lengthwise, remove the seeds, and chop the peppers coarsely.
5. Finely mash the tomatoes, shallots, garlic, and chili pieces together with the broth with the help of a hand blender.
6. Warm up the vegetable oil in a small pot until it is hot, but make sure it is not frying. Stir in the tomato puree and let it simmer on medium heat for twenty minutes until the mass turns darker and condenses. Boldly season the mix one last time.
Tomato-Chili Salsa (r.), Tomato-Cilantro Salsa (recipe page 54), Chili Salsa (recipe page 55), and Tortillas (recipe page 28)
PUMPKIN SEED PUREE DIP
Pumpkin seeds are a good source of vitamins and minerals, and they provide a lot of protein. Thus this dip is not only delicious, but also really healthy in moderation.
PRODUCES ABOUT 1¼ CUPS (300 g)
1 medium-sized tomato
1 small garlic clove
1 cup (250 g) shucked pumpkin seeds
½ Habanero chili pepper
½ teaspoon instant granular broth
1 tablespoon orange juice
1 tablespoon grapefruit juice
1 squirt lime juice, as desired
1 pinch of cinnamon
1 small shallot
½ bunch chives
1 bunch cilantro
salt
tortillas or Totopos (page 28)
when serving
PREPARATION
1. Wash the tomato and halve. Brown the unpeeled garlic clove together with the flat surface facing downward in a pan on medium heat for a few minutes. Watch the pan so that the garlic does not burn, otherwise, it will become bitter. Take the clove out of the pan, peel the garlic, and puree both with a hand blender or food processor until smooth.
2. Toast the pumpkin seeds and Habanero chili pepper in a cast-iron skillet on high-heat for a few minutes and make sure to stir well. Sift the pumpkin seeds and shake well so that the leftover shell residue is removed. Let the pumpkin seeds cool. Then, in a food processor or with a mortar and pestle, grind the seeds and stir in the salt and the cinnamon. This should form a coarsely granulated mass, which sticks together well when dipping. Wearing kitchen gloves, halve the chili pepper lengthwise, remove the seeds, finely chop the chili pepper, and put it aside.
3. With three tablespoons hot water stir the instant broth with the orange and grapefruit juice, add in the chili pepper, and puree everything. As desired, flavor with a squirt of lime juice. Now, stir this liquid mass in the puree into two portions.
4. Peel the shallot and finely chop it. Wash the herbs and shake them dry. Cut the chives into fine roulettes and finely chop the leaves of the cilantro. Stir everything into the dip, salt as needed, and pour into a small bowl.
SCOTT’S TIP:
This dip can be prepared in advance up until step three. The puree lasts in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for about three days. Before the food arrangement, simply bring it to room temperature and then continue from step four.
HABANERO CHILI SALSA
Here is an original recipe from our restaurant, which we of course prepare in large quantities because our guests really love this rather spicy sauce. You can easily freeze it for many months, preferably in two containers, since this amount is enough for eight people. The consistency is best if you let it defrost overnight in the refrigerator before serving. We reveal to you where we shop in the index.
PRODUCES ABOUT 2 CUPS (500 ml)
5 orange-colored Habanero chili peppers
1 garlic clove
1 shallot
1 orange
1 grapefruit
several drops of lime juice, as desired
¾ cup orange-colored Habanero pulp
salt
PREPARATION
1. Brown all of the Habanero chili peppers in a cast-iron skillet on medium heat. Let them cool down.
2. Meanwhile, peel the garlic clove and the shallot and finely chop them.
3. Squeeze out all of the juice from the citrus fruits.
4. Now, puree all of the ingredients with a hand blender, with a mortar, or in a food processor. Salt as desired.
SCOTT’S TIP:
The jazzy color of Habaneros is simply appetizing. If we freeze the dip, we still add some fresh chilies to it before serving. With this small trick, we bring the color back into the dip, which is somewhat lost when freezing.
CHIPOTLE SALSA
The Chipotle en adobo is a Jalapeño chili pepper that is smoked. Through this process, it has a very distinct, almost bacon-link aroma. It is also called a “butcher‘s batch.”
PRODUCES ABOUT 2½ CUPS (600 ml)
3 tomatoes
1 onion
1–2 garlic cloves
3 pickled Chipotle chili peppers (Chipotle en adobo)
1–2 tablespoons honey
½ cup (100 ml) red wine
PREPARATION
1. Brown the tomatoes and the whole, unpeeled onion on all sides in a pan on medium heat for fifteen minutes until they are brown and the tomato skin bubbles off.
2. Peel the onion and the garlic cloves. Coarsely chop these together with the tomatoes.
3. Mash with the rest of the ingredients in a normal blender or with a hand blender until the salsa has a smooth consistency.
CILANTRO-LIME VINAIGRETTE
This dressing lasts up to two weeks in the refrigerator. Revive it with some cilantro leaves before you serve it.
PRODUCES ABOUT 3⅓ CUPS (800 ml)
2 bunches cilantro
2 limes (1 of them should be natural)
⅓ cup (60 ml) apple vinegar
⅓ cup (60 ml) olive oil
½ tablespoon tarragon mustard
salt and freshly ground black pepper
PREPARATION
1. Wash the cilantro, shake it dry, and finely chop the leaves.
2. Grate the peel from one lime and set aside. Divide both of the limes lengthwise into thirds and squeeze with your hand; alternatively, halve and squeeze with a special lime press.
3. Froth the apple vinegar with the olive oil and the tarragon mustard with a hand blender until creamy. Stir in the lime juice, salt, and pepper.
4. Stir in the rest of the ingredients with a spoon. Chill until served.
Cilantro-Lime Vinaigrette (r.), Salsa with Habanero Chilies (recipe page 60), and Chipotle Salsa (recipe page 61)
SALSA DE FRIJOL NEGRO Y TOMATE
TOMATO-BEAN SALSA
Something healthy to dip Totopos in, or a hearty side dish for grilled dishes—this salsa is diversely versatile.
PRODUCES ABOUT 2¼ POUNDS (1 kg)
1 pound (500 g) ripe tomatoes
14 oz or ¾ pound (400 g) black beans (canned)
1 red onion
1–2 bunches cilantro
½ bunch smooth parsley
1 small garlic clove
1 large Jalapeño chili pepper
3 limes
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper
PREPARATION
1. Remove the stalks from the tomatoes. Wash the tomatoes and finely chop them. Shower the beans in a strainer with cool water, let them drain, and mince them (do not puree). Peel the onion and finely chop it. Transfer everything into a bowl.
2. Wash the herbs, shake them dry, and finely chop them. Wearing kitchen gloves, halve the Jalapeño chili peppers lengthwise, remove the seeds, and finely chop them. Divide the limes lengthwise into thirds and squeeze with your hand; alternatively, halve and squeeze with a special lime press.
3. Stir everything in with the tomato mix, pour in the olive oil, and spice with salt and pepper.
