Tag: condiment
Piquin Chili Salsa
Piquin Chili Salsa
This salsa is pretty damn hot, yet refreshing and full of flavor. Piquin chili salsa is best when sparingly drizzled on something and not as a chip and salsa dip. To make this salsa properly requires a mortar and pestle. A food processor is not the same and will change the texture. Try the salsa on top of empalmes or huevos rancheros.
Equipment
- mortar and pestle
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp piquin chilies
- 1/4 tsp cumin seeds
- 1/2 tsp Mexican oregano
- 4 black peppercorns
- 2 tbsp white onion chopped
- 1 garlic cloves dliced
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp vinegar
- 6 tbsp water
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Dry toast the the chilies for 1 minute over medium heat. Move the chilies to the mortar.
- Dry toast the cumin seeds and peppercorns for 30 seconds. Move to the mortar.
- Gring the chilies, cumin, oregano, and peppercorns down with the pestle.
- Heat up the vegetable oil. Sauté the onions and garlic for 3 minutes. Move to the mortar.
- Grind the onions and garlic with the chilies.
- Stir in the vinegar, water, and salt.
Tomato Onion Curtido
Tomato Onion Curtido
Most meals throughout South American countries will have some type of salad on the side. Many of the times it will be a lime marinated salad like this tomato onion curtido. Besides being tasty, it helps cut through all of the heavy richness of Ecuadorian cuisine. Other vegetables you can substitute instead of tomatoes include carrots, cucumbers, bell peppers, radishes, etc.
Equipment
- mandolin slicer
Ingredients
- 1 large red onion thinly sliced on a mandolin
- 2 limes juiced
- 2 small tomatoes thinly sliced on a mandolin
- 1 tbsp cilantro chopped
- 1 tsp olive oil
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Rub the onions with salt. Place the onions in a bowl of cold water for 10 minutes. Rinse the onions of salt and pat dry with paper towels.
- Mix all of the ingredients together. Refrigerate until ready for use.
Curtido
Curtido
Curtido is a slightly fermented Salvadoran cabbage slaw that is eaten with practically everything all over Central America. The cabbage is slightly wilted with boiling water, rinsed with cold water, then mixed with julienned carrots, onion, jalapeño, oregano, vinegar, sugar and salt. Typically the curtido is left out overnight covered to slightly ferment the cabbage, then put in the refrigerator for a day before eaten. Think of this as the Salvadoran version of sauerkraut or kimchi. Serve the curtido with pupusas, tacos, sandwiches, tamales, enchiladas, smoked meats…the list goes on and on.
Equipment
- mandolin
Ingredients
- 1/2 head green cabbage shredded
- 4 cup boiling water
- 2 large carrots finely julienned on a mandolin
- 1/2 medium red or white onion sliced paper thin on a mandolin
- 1 red jalapeño finely chopped
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 cup vinegar
- 2 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp sea salt
Instructions
- Place the shredded cabbage in a strainer. Pour the boiling water slowly over the cabbage. Rinse with cold water. Press out as much water as possible.
- Mix the cabbage together with all of the ingredients. Refrigerate overnight before use.
