Hot sauces ☠

All of these hot sauces are variations on the same basic technique, so once you feel comfortable with the process of charring your chilies, fruit/vegetables you can get creative with different combinations of flavors. The possibilities are endless, think seasonal and fresh and you will be well on your way. Just remember the most important thing is a good balance of spice, acidity, sweetness, and salt. With oyster season just starting to be great, and all the vegetables in the market hitting the end of their summer season why not crack some beers, practice your shucking skills and heat it up!

Mole

This sauce would be great served with a steak or any grilled meats.

6 dry Chipotle peppers

1 clove Garlic, unpeeled

1/4 large Onion, cut into large chunks

1 large Tomato, cut in quarters (we used kumato, but any dark variety of tomato, or a good ripe field tomato would be equally successful)

2 tbsp Olive Oil

2 tbsp Red Mole paste

1 tbsp Smoked Paprika

juice of 1 Lime

2 tbsp White Vinegar

Salt

Heat a dry pan over medium-high heat. Dry roast, chipotle peppers, onion, garlic and tomato until charred, turning to cook all sides evenly. Add olive oil, sauté over medium heat. Add smoked paprika and cook 1 minute more

De-glaze with 2 cups water. Work in mole paste. Simmer over medium heat to re-hydrate chilies. Pour into blender and add lime juice and vinegar. Blend until smooth, season. Pass mixture through a fine strainer, cool and serve.

Hot Oaxaca

This sauce would be great served with fish, shellfish or even pork.

8 dry Guerro Oaxaqueno chilies

1 Red pepper, diced

3 Habañero peppers

1 Orange

1/4 cup Dried Mango

1 Plum Tomato, quartered

1/2 large Onion, diced

2 tbsp Olive Oil

1/2 tsp chopped Ginger

1/4 cup White Vinegar

1 tsp Fennel Seed

juice of 2 Limes

Salt

Heat a dry pan to medium, add dry chilies, habañeros, red pepper and tomato to pan. Dry roast for 2 minutes turning frequently to cook all sides evenly. Add olive oil then onion, fennel seed and put in a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes.

Half way through cooking add ginger and a 2 cm piece of orange zest to pan. remove from oven to medium burner and de-glaze with the juice from one orange, reduce, and then add 2 cups of water. Add dried mango and simmer to re-hydrate.

Pour into blender, add vinegar and lime juice and blend to liquify. Season, strain, cool and serve.

Mulatto Plum

This sauce would be great for duck or any wild/ game meats.

5 dry Mulato Chilies

3 Plums, cut into quarters

4 fresh Thai Chilies

2 Tomatoes, cut into quarters (we used kumato, but any good, ripe tomato would be good)

1 tsp Honey

juice of 1/2 Lemon

1/2 tsp Coriander seed

1/2 tsp Cumin seed

2 Allspice berries

6 branches Lemon Thyme

2 tbsp White Vinegar

Salt

Heat a dry pan to medium and add dry mulato chilies, turning to toast all sides for about 5 minutes. Add plums, thai chilies, tomatoes and thyme. Remove from heat and add olive oil. Put into a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes turning frequently to roast all sides evenly.

Remove from oven and put all items into blender except dry chilies. Add dry spices to pan with chilies and heat to medium, deglaze pan with 2 cups of water and simmer to re-hydrate chilies. Pour into blender adding vinegar, honey and lemon juice to blender as well.

Blend to liquify, then season, strain, cool and serve.

Caribeña

This salsa would be great for fish, seafood and even for chicken.

3 dry Guajillo Chilies

1/2 medium Onion, cut into large pieces

juice of 1 Lime

2 cm Ginger, chopped

1/2 cup dry Pineapple

5 fresh Yellow Caribe Chilies

1 tbsp Coriander Seed

1 tbsp Honey

2 tbsp White Vinegar

Salt

Heat a pan over medium heat, dry roast guajillo and yellow caribe chilies for 8 minutes turning often to roast evenly. Add olive oil and put into a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes turning peppers frequently to roast evenly. Remove from oven and add yellow caribe chilies to blender. meanwhile to pan add coriander seed, onions and ginger sauté for 10 seconds then de-glaze with 2 cups water. Add dry pineapple and simmer to re-hydrate. Add to blender along with vinegar, lime juice and honey.

Blend to liquify. Season, strain, cool and serve.

Salsa Oaxaqueña

This very simple salsa found all around the Oaxaca region of Mexico is packed with flavor from the pasilla chilies. Great for any kind of tacos the subtle spiciness should be easy enough for anyone to handle.

1/2 lb ( 225 g, about 11 medium) fresh tomatillo or one 11 oz. can of tomatillo

3 smal pasilla chilies

1/2 head garlic, cloves separated left unpeeled

Salt to taste

Sear garlic in a hot, dry pan until skin is blackened and clove has become soft inside. Peel and add into the blender. In the same pan sear chilies until blistered and blacked on outside, about 2 minutes. Rinse chilies under cold water briefly and then chop and add to blender.

If using fresh tomatillo: clean, and put in a sauce pan with water about half way up tomatillos. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10-20 minutes or until softened. Cool, drain, reserving cooking liquid and add to blender.

If using canned tomatillo: drain, rinse and add to blender whole.

Blend all ingredients with about 125 ml water or reserved cooking liquid until smooth. Season to taste.

Source: Diana Kenedy

Salsa x-ni-pek

This salsa from the Yucatan, which translates to 'hot as a dog's nose', has the perfect freshness to cut the salty/fatty properties of delicious carnitas. The balance for the heat of the habanero pepper comes from the sweet citrus flavors which also mirror the fruitiness of the pepper itself. So simple and delicious this salsa would also be a great accompaniment for fresh grilled fish and seafood.

Ingredients:

250 ml finely chopped, unpeeled tomatoes

125 ml finely diced red onion

125 ml roughly chopped cilantro

1 habanero pepper, seeded and finely sliced

125 ml bitter orange juice (see substitute)

sea salt to taste

Substitute for bitter orange juice:

makes 125 ml

1 tsp grapefruit or green Meyer lemon zest

2 tbsp fresh grapefruit or ripe Meyer lemon juice

2 tbsp fresh orange juice

4 tbsp fresh lime juice

Combine all ingredients in a non-reactive (glass, plastic or china) bowl. Season to taste and allow at least 30 mins. before serving to give time for the flavors to come together.

source: Diana Kenedy

Tomato sauce

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 Spanish onion, 1/4-inch dice
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves, or 1 tablespoon dried
• 2 (28-ounce) cans peeled whole tomatoes, crushed by hand and juices reserved
• Salt
• Whole basil leaves, for garnish
• 
  

Directions

In a 3-quart saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, and cook until soft and light golden brown, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add the thyme , and cook 5 minutes moret. Add the tomatoes and juice and bring to a boil, stirring often. Lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes until as thick as hot cereal. Season with salt and serve. This sauce holds 1 week in the refrigerator or up to 6 months in the freezer.