© 2018 by Rob Firing
MAKES ENOUGH FOR 4 TO 6 STEAK EATERS
A few summers ago, during one of my visits to the farmers’ market at Wychwood Barns in Toronto, I took some advice from a cacao dealer, whose chocolate I would buy nearly every week. He travelled to Mexico for his cacao beans, and heard this recipe from one of the farmers he routinely did business with. The sauce is zesty and firey, and great with steak (and nachos!).
1 OR 2 SMALL DRIED HOT CHILIES (LIKE ÁRBOL CHILIES)
2 CLOVES GARLIC
10 CHERRY OR GRAPE TOMATOES
1 LIME, HALVED
1 TABLESPOON EXTRA-VIRGIN OLIVE OIL
1/4 CUP CILANTRO OR FLAT-LEAF PARSLEY
PINCH OF SALT
HEAT A DRY cast-iron pan over medium-high heat. Add dried chilies (if you like, break open and discard seeds to reduce their pepper), and cook until they blister and char a little. Grind them in a mortar and pestle, and set aside.
ADD GARLIC to the hot pan, and cook until it blackens a little. Transfer to the mortar and pestle with chilies, grind until they fall apart, and set aside.
ADD TOMATOES to the hot pan, and sauté until they blister and char a little. Transfer to the mortar and pestle.
FINALLY, COOK halved lime, cut-side down, in the hot pan for a minute or two, until its juice cooks a little and the cut side caramelizes. Remove pan from the heat and set aside.
TO THE MORTAR and pestle, add olive oil, cilantro, juice of cooked lime, and salt. Pulverize everything together until the sauce resembles a somewhat brothy, chunky salsa.
SERVE IMMEDIATELY or cover and refrigerate for several days.
TIP: You can make this on the grill, too. Use skewers for the garlic cloves so they don’t fall through the grating.