SALSAS Y CREMAS
When I think about the many regions of Mexico, I can name a number of salsas and sauces that come from each specific region, from the dark and smoky salsas of Oaxaca to the more vibrant and spicy red sauces of Guadalajara. No matter where you are in Mexico, one thing is certain—no meal is ever served without a delicious salsa or sauce to accompany it. While I could write a whole cookbook on just salsas and sauces, in this chapter I focus on some of my favorites and the most versatile ones—those that you can use with breakfast, lunch, and dinner dishes, as well as some with more complex and smoky flavors. Use these salsas to help elevate the flavor of your favorite dishes, even if it is just to remind yourself of the flavors you grew up with. Provecho.
rustic mexican salsa
SALSA RUSTICA MEXICANA
Some of my fondest memories growing up are of my mamí cooking for us. The most amazing aromas would come out of that small kitchen, and they would envelop the house. Whenever I popped my head in, our comal (tortilla griddle) would be filled with vibrant tomatillos, bright red tomatoes, and different-colored chiles. We’d know it without asking when chiles de árbol were on the griddle to make her salsa, as our throats would immediately turn scratchy from the smoking chiles. To keep your chile smoke in check, make sure your kitchen is well ventilated and turn on the stove’s vent hood if it has one.
makes about 1½ cups (360 ml)
2 to 3 medium Roma tomatoes
1 jalapeño chile, stemmed
2 to 3 garlic cloves, peeled
2 to 4 whole chiles de árbol, stemmed
Salt
Heat a medium skillet or comal (tortilla griddle) over low heat. Place the tomatoes, jalapeño, and garlic on the skillet and toast them until brown spots develop on the garlic but it does not become black, about 3 minutes. Remove the garlic from the pan. Continue roasting until the jalapeño and tomato skins blacken in places, the flesh begins to soften under the pressure of tongs, and the skin from the tomatoes starts to come away from the flesh (they will soften and begin to release their juices), about 20 minutes. If one ingredient starts to blacken before the others, remove it from the pan as needed.
Heat a separate small skillet over low heat, add the chiles de árbol, and toast for 1 to 2 minutes, turning often, until they darken in color on both sides, taking care not to let them burn. The seeds will come out as you toast the chiles—you can use them or not depending on your heat preference.
To prepare the salsa, begin by adding the garlic to a molcajete (mortar and pestle, see Notes) and mash until smooth. Add the chiles de árbol and break them up until a coarse red paste forms. Add the jalapeño and continue to mash until the mixture is fairly smooth but with some pieces remaining. You’re looking for a rustic, chunky salsa, but make sure to break it up enough so no one gets an overly large piece of jalapeño. Last, add the tomatoes and mash them in carefully (they will be filled with hot steam) until they’re just a little chunky but no large chunks remain. Season with salt and use a large spoon to mix and scrape down the sides of the molcajete. Serve the salsa in the molcajete or a decorative serving dish.
notes
If you don’t have a molcajete, place all the ingredients in a food processor and pulse four or five times, until broken down but still chunky. Do not overblend—remember that it’s not meant to be a smooth salsa.
See this page for more on spice levels and chile handling.
SALSA VERDE
It’s no secret that we are known for our salsas. While the most common salsas are tomato-based red salsas, there is nothing in the world quite like a tart and spicy salsa verde (green salsa). Salsa verde and tomatillo salsa are actually the same thing, as the green color comes from the green skin and flesh of the tomatillo.
This is our family’s recipe for salsa verde. I use it in a number of dishes, from braised pork (see this page) to Green Chilaquiles (this page), or as a topping for tacos. You can adjust the heat level by reducing or increasing the number of chiles you include. But cuidado (careful)—the spiciness of the serranos and chiles de árbol may have you looking for the closest ice-cold beverage.
makes about 3 cups (720 ml)
12 ounces (340 g) fresh tomatillos
1 to 2 whole serrano chiles, stemmed
½ medium yellow onion, peeled
2 to 3 small garlic cloves, peeled
5 to 6 whole chiles de árbol, stemmed
Salt
Peel the husks off the tomatillos and rinse them thoroughly under lukewarm water until their skin is smooth and they are no longer tacky or sticky.
Place the tomatillos, serrano chiles, and onion in a large saucepan and add enough hot water to cover. Place over medium-high heat, bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the tomatillos change color and just start to soften, about 5 minutes. Remove the ingredients from the pan using a slotted spoon and place them in blender along with the garlic. Reserve the cooking liquid.
Meanwhile, heat a skillet or comal (tortilla griddle) over low heat. Add the chiles de árbol, and toast for 1 to 2 minutes, turning often, until they darken in color but don’t burn. The seeds will come out as you toast the chiles—you can use them or not depending on your heat preference. What you are looking for is a darker, almost black, red color. Keep your windows open as you toast the chiles, as the fumes can affect the strangest parts of your throat and cause cough attacks for the family . . . ahhh, the memories.
Add the toasted chiles de árbol and seeds to the blender, pour in ¼ cup (60 ml) of the reserved tomatillo cooking liquid, and blend on medium-low speed until your desired consistency has been reached (see Notes). If your salsa is too thick, add more of the tomatillo cooking liquid.
Pour the salsa into a bowl and season with salt, starting with about 1 teaspoon and adjusting the amount as needed to balance the tartness of your tomatillos.
The consistency of salsa verde varies depending on the dish you use it in. For Green Chilaquiles (this page), make it a bit more on the liquidy side so your tortillas can soak up the salsa. For tacos, stick to a coarser and chunkier consistency to avoid a runny mess.
Keep in mind that chiles can vary in spice depending on the season, so you may want to cut off the edge of one of your chiles and taste it for heat. If it’s too hot for your liking, remove the seeds and veins to turn the heat down. To turn up the heat, add more chiles.
Make sure not to touch your eyes after handling spicy chiles and wear gloves when working with them to protect your hands. The last thing you want is to start crying like a novela (soap opera) star.
SALSA DE NOPAL
When I was working on my finale menu, it was very important to me that it reflected my story. Essential to my story are my very humble beginnings, and nothing says humble like our Mexican custom of eating cactus. Cactus is not a delicacy by any means, but I am proud of my culture’s ability to turn this unorthodox ingredient into so many beautiful and delicious recipes. Serve it on tacos or use it to dress your favorite dishes. No matter where you use it, it will add vibrant color and flavor to your meal.
The technique for salting cactus to remove slime from it and make it tender is one that I learned from my favorite Mexican chef, Enrique Olvera. I hope you enjoy this salsa—I know the MasterChef judges did!
makes about 2 cups (480 ml)
2 cactus paddles
1 cup (240 g) coarse kosher salt
2 medium Roma tomatoes, chopped
½ medium red onion, finely chopped
1½ tablespoons fresh lime juice, or to taste
1 serrano chile, stemmed
Leaves from ½ bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
If your cactus isn’t already cleaned, clean it according to the directions on this page and cut it into ½-inch (12-mm) cubes.
Place the cactus in a large bowl and add the salt. Toss until the cactus is fully covered and set aside to cure for 5 minutes; the cactus will begin to release slime. Turn it with a wooden spoon or spatula to make sure the salt reaches all of the pieces of cactus and allow to rest for an additional 2 to 3 minutes to release more slime. Remove the cactus from the bowl and place it in a strainer. Run it under cold water until all the visible salt has been removed. Taste the cactus for salt; it should be salty and have some give but should not taste raw. If it’s too salty, rinse it some more. Pat dry with a paper towel.
Move the cactus to a large bowl and add the tomatoes, onion, and lime juice and toss with a spoon or spatula. Slice the chile in half lengthwise and remove the seeds and veins if you want to keep the heat down. Thinly slice each half widthwise to create half-moon slices and add them to the bowl.
Add the cilantro and fold until completely incorporated. Stir in the pepper and taste. If it’s too salty, add a bit more lime juice for additional acidity.
From top to bottom: Roasted Red Pepper Sauce (this page), Oaxacan Avocado Cream (this page), Chipotle Cream Sauce (this page), Cilantro Oil (this page)
oaxacan avocado cream
CREMA DE AGUACATE OAXAQUEÑA
I remember the first time I really tasted an avocado. I was about six years old and we were sitting down to eat tacos at my abuelita’s (grand-mother’s) house in Tijuana. My grandmother had arranged some avocado slices into a simple carne asada taco. I stared down at it and thought, “What is that?” Sensing my uncertainty, she yelled, “Cometelo! (Eat it!)” I was so scared I picked up my taco and took a huge bite.
I turned to my abuelita and said, “Oh, it tastes like guacamole!” (in Spanish, of course). She laughed as I let this new information sink in. I took another big bite and enjoyed the flavor of that creamy avocado dancing in my mouth.
This recipe melds the creamy deliciousness of Hass avocado with Mexican sour cream. It is bright and ultra-creamy, and it is the perfect finish to any taco, burrito, quesadilla, or whatever your heart desires! Go ahead . . . Cometelo!
makes about 1½ cups (360 ml)
1 large ripe Hass avocado
½ cup (120 ml) Oaxacan sour cream (see Notes) or crème fraîche
1½ tablespoons fresh lime juice
Salt
Using a 6-inch (15-cm) knife, carefully slice through the stem end of the avocado until you can feel the pit. Proceed to run your knife down one side following the pit, but don’t press too eagerly. A ripe avocado will be very easy to cut, so don’t exert yourself or you can risk a cut. Continue cutting all the way around the pit until you reach the original cut.
Set your knife down, hold each side of the avocado in your hands, and twist in opposite directions. Carefully remove the pit of the avocado either with a spoon or fork. (If your avocado isn’t ripe enough, this may prove difficult; if so, stab your knife into the pit and twist in order to remove it. If you are unable to remove the pit, use another avocado, as this avocado is not ripe and will taste too earthy.)
Run a large spoon along the inside of the skin of the avocado to remove the flesh from the skin. Don’t worry how perfectly the avocado comes out, as you are going to be pureeing it anyway!
In a small blender or food processor (a mini food processor works well), combine the avocado flesh, sour cream, and lime juice, and blend until smooth. If your avocado is not ripe enough or the sour cream is too thick, add a tablespoon or so of water to get things moving in the machine, but make sure to keep the consistency thick and mousse-like (see Notes). Remove from the blender and season with salt.
Fit a piping bag with a small circular tip and add the avocado cream to the bag or spoon the cream into a squeeze bottle. To plate with tamales or tacos, place your point close to the plate, squeeze out a little cream, and lift the tip straight up. This will make your dollop look like the perfect kiss! Because avocados are finicky and will turn brown and dull, this crema will not keep longer than 4 hours, even when stored in an airtight container. So put it on everything and be generous with it!
notes
Oaxacan sour cream is denser than typical sour cream and is salted and textured much like a crème fraîche. If you cannot find it, use crème fraîche or, in a pinch, regular sour cream and a bit more salt to achieve a similar balance of flavor.
Err on the side of thicker (but not chunky) than thinner for your avocado cream, because if it is too thin, you will have a dripping mess that cannot be piped.
CHIPOTLE CREMA
One of my mom’s favorite flavors to experiment with is, by far, chipotle. She would make us the most delicious plates using this chile’s smoky and spicy flavor profile, turning a dish as simple as meatballs into something mind-blowing.
Chipotle crema has been done a great many ways. In coming up with my version of it, I incorporated everything I’ve learned about building flavor in salsa. Some of those ingredients are not common in chipotle cremas, but I assure you, each one of them will make this spectacular sauce your new staple!
This sauce is perfect with my Mexican Cordon Bleu (this page) and Sautéed Chayote and Red Cabbage (this page); it can also be served with Green Chilaquiles (this page), enchiladas, eggs, and any number of meat dishes—the sky is really the limit, but always serve it warm, as this is different from chipotle sour cream (see this page), which is served cold and used as a garnish.
makes about 1¾ cups (420 ml)
1 tablespoon canola oil
¼ medium white onion, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
1 small tomato, chopped
1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream
1 to 2 canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
Salt
Heat the oil in a medium sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 30 seconds, or until fragrant. Add the garlic and oregano and cook for an additional 30 seconds, or until the garlic starts to soften. Add the tomato and sauté until softened, about 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, carefully pour in the cream, and bring to a simmer. Immediately remove from the heat.
A little bit goes a long way with smoky chipotle chiles, so if you have never worked with them, start with one, and then add another if you want to turn up the heat. Place the chile in a blender, carefully pour in the hot cream mixture, and blend on medium speed for about 1 minute, until smooth and bright orange in color. Taste for salt and season accordingly; if the sauce is not spicy enough for you, add an additional chile and blend again until smooth. This is a dairy-based cream sauce that will keep a maximum of 3 to 4 days in the fridge, so use it quickly.
SALSA DE CHILE TATEMADO
I had to include this sauce in this book because it was the one that helped me win my first team challenge of the season, breaking the ever-dreaded Claudia curse! It is based on a veal demi-glace I was working on and a roasted red pepper sauce I like to make. The combo was a complete hit with the ranchers and cowboys that day, and I hope it’s a hit in your household too. Yee-haw!
makes about 2½ cups (600 ml)
2 medium Roma tomatoes
1 jalapeño chile
1 pound (455 g) fresh piquillo peppers, roasted, or 1 (14-ounce/400-g) can roasted piquillo peppers, drained
4 garlic cloves, peeled
1 small yellow onion, quartered
½ cup (120 ml) beef stock or veal demi-glace, plus more if needed
4 sprigs fresh thyme, tied with kitchen string
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Cayenne pepper (optional)
Heat a skillet or comal (tortilla griddle) over medium-low heat. Place the tomatoes and jalapeño on the skillet and heat until the tomatoes are almost completely darkened on all sides, softened, and releasing their juices and the jalapeño is fragrant and blistered. Remove the stem and cut the jalapeño in half. Remove the seeds using a spoon if you’d like your sauce on the milder side.
In a blender, combine the tomatoes, jalapeño, piquillo peppers, garlic, onion, and stock, and blend until smooth. Pour the mixture into a medium saucepan. Add the thyme and season with salt and pepper. Place over low heat and bring to a simmer, adding a little more stock if it’s too thick.
Once it simmers, remove the thyme, taste for heat, and add a little cayenne if needed. The sauce will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5 to 7 days. Bring it to a boil before serving.
ACEITE DE CILANTRO
I learned so many amazing things in the MasterChef kitchen. Being able to create infused oils is one of the skills I am most grateful for, and this cilantro oil adds flavor and color to so many dishes, from the simplest of plates to the creamiest of soups. It’s like the Mexican version of Italian herb oil. We used this oil during the Vegetarian Team Challenge, and while our dish wasn’t a winner that night, this oil is a winner any time.
makes about 1¼ cups (300 ml)
2 large bunches fresh cilantro
1¼ cups (300 ml) canola oil
Salt
Start by cutting 1 inch (2.5 cm) from the thick ends of the cilantro stems. Chop the leaves and tender stems (stop about 1 inch/2.5 cm from the bottom of the cut stems) until you have 2 packed cups (80 g). Save any remaining cilantro for another recipe. Place the cilantro in the blender with ¼ cup (60 ml) of the oil.
Blend on low speed, slowly drizzling in the remaining oil through the hole in the top of the blender. Do not overblend or blend on high speed, as this can cook the cilantro and turn it a dark green or brown color. Season with salt and pulse until incorporated.
Line a fine-mesh sieve or chinois with a double layer of cheesecloth. Pour the blended oil into the sieve and, using a large rubber spatula, push the oil mixture through the sieve into a large bowl, pressing on it with the spatula to get out all the flavored oil. Discard the cilantro pulp.
Pour the oil through a funnel into a squeeze bottle for ease of plating. It will keep, refrigerated, for up to 5 days.
