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.

Pique de Vinagre y Ajíes Bravos (Bird Pepper Vinegar Pique)

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Here is a classic pique recipe from Puerto Rico. As usual, the longer 
the chiles steep, the hotter the sauce will be. It should be stored in a 
bottle with a sprinkler cap so the amount of sauce can be controlled as 
it is sprinkled over grilled fish, poultry, or even into salads. Note: 
This recipe requires advance preparation.

Ingredients

1 cup cider vinegar
10 to 20 “bird peppers” (chiltepíns), or any small, hot chile, fresh or dry
4 cloves garlic, halved
10 whole peppercorns
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 sprig fresh oregano, cilantro, or mint (optional)

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a glass jar and allow to steep in the 
refigerator for at least 24 hours to blend the flavors.

Trinidadian Bird Pepper Sherry

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This recipe, which I found in a 1940s Trinidadian cookbook, is probably 
one of the earliest methods of preserving peppers in the tropics. It is 
also called “pepper wine.” The sherry, which gradually picks up heat 
from the bird peppers, is sprinkled into soups and stews and makes them 
quite exotic. The peppers can be either fresh or dried. It is used as a 
condiment and is sprinkled over soups, main dishes, and side dishes. 
Note: This recipe requires advance preparation.

Ingredients

20 “bird peppers” (chiltepíns or piquins), stems removed
1 cup dry sherry

Instructions

Add the peppers to the sherry and allow to steep for several days. Keep 
in a jar in the refrigerator.

Salsa de Jalapeño o Serrano Asado (Roasted Jalapeño or Serrano Salsa)

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The simplicity of this salsa, imported from northern Mexico and popular 
in Texas, is deceiving, for it is one of the best all-around table 
sauces. The charred tomatoes and chiles have a robust flavor, and you 
can control the texture. Some cooks char onion slices on the grill and 
add them to this salsa.

Ingredients

2 large tomatoes
2 jalapeño or serrano chiles, stems removed
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Instructions

Grill the tomatoes and chiles by placing them 3 to 6 inches above the 
flames. Turn them often; they should be soft and the skins should be 
charred.
In a blender, pulse the tomatoes and chiles for 30 seconds to the 
desired consistency. Add salt to taste. The texture is smooth and the 
sauce is flecked with tiny bits of the charred chile and tomato skins, 
which add an interesting flavor.

Môlho de Acaraj (Chile-Shrimp Sauce)

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This Brazilian sauce is traditionally served over black-eyed pea 
fritters (acaraj, called accra in the West Indies), but can also be 
spread over other bland foods such as potatoes. It has an intense shrimp 
flavor and high heat. It is traditionally made with dende, palm oil, but 
I have substituted one with less saturated fat. Variation: Add 1 
teaspoon minced cilantro and 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger to the paste.

Ingredients

6 large shrimps, cooked, shelled, deveined, and mashed
1 onion, minced
5 fresh malagueta chiles, seeds and stems removed, minced, or substitute 
tabascos, Thais, or piquins,
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons vegetable oil, or more if needed

Instructions

With a mortar and pestle, crush together the shrimps, onion, chiles, and 
salt to make a paste.
Heat the oil and saute the paste for 10 minutes, stirring constantly.