Salsa Casera (Homemade Chiltepín Sauce)

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This diabolically hot sauce is also called pasta de chiltepín (chiltepín 
paste). It is used in soups and stews and to fire up machaca, eggs, 
tacos, tostadas, and beans. This is the exact recipe prepared in the 
home of my friend, Josefina Durán, in Cumpas, Sonora. Note: This recipe 
requires advance preparation.

Ingredients

2 cups chiltepíns (or other small, hot chiles)
8 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
1 teaspoon coriander seed
1 cup water
1 cup cider vinegar

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a blender and puree on high speed for 3 to 4 
minutes. Refrigerate for one day to blend the flavors. It keeps 
indefinitely in the refrigerator.

Salsa Chile de Árbol (Chile de Årbol Sauce)

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This is the sauce that commonly is bottled in liquor bottles and sold in 
the mercados and at roadside stands in central and northern Mexico. It 
is sprinkled over nearly any snack food, from tacos to tostadas.

Ingredients

30 chiles de árbol, seeds ands stems removed
Water
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1 tablespoon pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
3 cloves garlic
1 cup cider vinegar
3/4 cup water

Instructions

Soak the chiles in the water until softened, about a half hour.
Toast the sesame seeds and pumpkin seeds in a skillet until they pop and 
are brown. Combine the seeds with the drained chiles and the remaining 
ingredients and puree for about 3 minutes. Strain the mixture through a 
sieve and bottle. It will keep for months in the refrigerator.

Salsa de Mole Poblano (Classic Mole Poblano Sauce)

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This subtle blend of chocolate and chile is from Puebla, where it is 
known as the “National Dish of Mexico” when it is served over turkey. 
This sauce adds life to any kind of poultry, from roasted game hens to a 
simple grilled chicken breast. It is also excellent as a sauce over 
chicken enchiladas.

Ingredients

4 dried pasilla chiles, seeds and stems removed
4 dried red guajillo or New Mexican chiles, seeds and stems removed
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 medium tomatoes, peeled and seeds removed, chopped
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1/2 cup almonds
1/2 corn tortilla, torn into pieces
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
3 tablespoons shortening or vegetable oil
1 cup chicken broth
1 ounce bitter chocolate (or more to taste)

Instructions

Combine the chiles, onion, garlic, tomatoes, 1 tablespoon of the sesame 
seeds, almonds, tortilla, raisins, cloves, cinnamon, and coriander. 
Puree small amounts of this mixture in a blender until smooth.
Melt the shortening in a skillet and saute the puree for 10 minutes, 
stirring frequently. Add the chicken broth and chocolate and cook over a 
very low heat for 45 minutes. The sauce should be very thick. The 
remaining sesame seeds are used as a garnish, sprinkled over the 
finished dish.

Miguel’s Peruvian Ají Sauce

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I grow a lot of Peruvian ají chiles in my garden every year, and I 
always put aside a large bag of them to take to Miguel, our computer 
wizard friend from Peru. On my second or third trip to Miguel's (it was 
a bumper harvest of chiles), he was having a late lunch with this ají 
sauce over his rice.

Ingredients

1/2 cup olive oil
4 or more fresh ají chiles, seeds and stems removed, minced, or 
substitute jalapeños
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Instructions

Heat the oil in a small skillet, and when it's hot, add the chiles and 
the garlic, lower the heat, and stir constantly to avoid burning the 
garlic. Add the remaining ingredients and stir. Simmer for ten minutes 
and then serve warm over rice or pasta.

Ocopa Sauce Arequepa-Style

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From Arequipa, Peru, one of the hottest (chile-wise) cities in Latin 
America, comes this unusual, delicious sauce that is traditionally 
served over boiled and sliced potatoes that are garnished with lettuce, 
olives, and hardboiled egg slices. Try it over fried fish as well.

Ingredients

8 dried yellow ají chiles, seeds and stems removed, soaked in water to 
soften and pureed, or substitute 6 New Mexican red chiles
3 saltine-type crackers, crushed
1/4 cup walnuts, ground in a spice mill
1/2 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup crushed onion
1 clove garlic, mashed
2 hard-boiled eggs, minced
12 cooked shrimps, peeled and mashed
Milk
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

In a large bowl, combine the chiles, crackers, walnuts, cheese, 
vegetable oil, onion, garlic, eggs, and shrimps and mix well to make a 
thick paste. Drizzle in the milk as needed and, using a potato masher, 
transform the paste into a thick sauce. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Yield: About 2 1/2 cups