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lostcoast

Jun 28, 2010, 6:49 PM

Post #1 of 14 (4704 views)

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Jalapeno Sauce (not quite a salsa)

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Hi folks, Im here looking for a little help in figuring out the name of (and how to recreate) a wonderful sauce served in a restaurant I frequent.

We have a local family from Michoacan who runs a taquiera. The carnitas are unbelievable and on the table they serve a jalapeno based sauce that is out of this world. Unfortunately it is a top secret recipe and I cant even find out what it is called.

The sauce itself is smooth (no seeds) and a light green color (similar to avocado). It tastes like it is made with jalapenos and possibly onion and is almost creamy, like crema has been added. It is not refrigerated and hangs out on the table with the other house made salsa in a bottle.

Any ideas? Id love to be able to have it at home. I cant recall encountering it in any of my travels in Mexico but that is not saying much.

Thanks in advance!

tashby

Jun 29, 2010, 4:43 PM

Post #2 of 14 (4663 views)

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Re: [lostcoast] Jalapeno Sauce (not quite a salsa)

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Hopefully our resident food expert will come by before long and have an idea for you. In the meantime, based on the way you've described it (except for the "no seeds" part) I'm leaning heavily toward a salsa that involves Tomatillos.

Maybe something like this recipe I found on MexConnect, but with the addition of some yogurt or cream.

http://www.mexconnect.com/...e-verde-con-aguacate

I could be way off track, but now I'm hungry and want to thank you for the reminder. I've had something very much like what you describe, but have never tried to make it. We're getting really nice avocados right now so I think I'll give it a shot.

Provecho!

Peter

Jun 29, 2010, 5:50 PM

Post #3 of 14 (4657 views)

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Re: [lostcoast] Jalapeno Sauce (not quite a salsa)

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I know the salsa you speak of, it is very common in this part of Michoacán. Problem is, I haven't made it myself. Tere tells me it is entirely made of avocado and jalapeños with a spoon of lemon or vinegar to preserve the color and just a splash of milk or crema. It is put in the blender until smooth. The blender, I believe, is the number one small appliance in a Mexican kitchen.

That's it. The only thing that varies is the amount of jalapeños you use, and that is a matter of personal taste. You will probably want to open the chiles and remove the seeds to ensure the characteristic smoothness of the salsa.

I asked her about cooking, boiling, the chiles first to make sure it's smooth but Tere says no, it will change the flavor. The only other thing optional is to add onion. I suggest a bit of salt, but that is another option.

tashby

Jun 29, 2010, 6:32 PM

Post #4 of 14 (4652 views)

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Re: [Peter] Jalapeno Sauce (not quite a salsa)

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I actually like that idea better.

The question for the LostCoast is: could you taste avocado? When I re-read your original post you only use avocado as a color reference. I think Peter is on a more productive track, with Tere's help. Avocados get pretty darn creamy after enough pushing and shoving, after all.

esperanza

Jun 29, 2010, 6:59 PM

Post #5 of 14 (4645 views)

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Re: [Peter] Jalapeno Sauce (not quite a salsa)

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Peter and Tere are correct. This is known as salsa de aguacate and is more common here in Michoacán than in Jalisco, although the first time I ever ate it was in Ajijic, at a legendary taco stand just down the street from tashby's house. Ah, Doña Mago and her three beautiful daughters! Those are still the best tacos de bistek I've ever eaten--piled with fresh-cooked frijoles de la olla, liberally sprinkled with minced onion and cilantro, lightly salted, and slathered with salsa de aguacate.

*a Proustian sigh*

http://www.mexicocooks.typepad.com

mazbook1

Jun 29, 2010, 7:36 PM

Post #6 of 14 (4638 views)

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Re: [esperanza] Jalapeno Sauce (not quite a salsa)

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And once, here in Mazatlán I got a salsa that meets the description exactly, but was more than plenty picante. When I inquired about the recipe I was told that it was just oil with added jalapeño AND serrano peppers (deseeded) blended with oil (and salt, I think) until it was the consistency of the "guacamole" sauce (actually just liquified avocado) that is ubiquitous here in Mazatlán. It was darn good salsa, but needed to be used rather sparingly—I had first used it thinking it was the liquified avocado sauce which isn't picante at all. I sure won't make that error again!

My Mexican wife taught me how to approach unknown salsas in México. She spoons a small amount onto the back of her hand and tastes it before using or setting aside. A very rational approach, especially from someone who eats raw serrano peppers with breakfast (and many other meals).

esperanza

Jun 29, 2010, 7:48 PM

Post #7 of 14 (4633 views)

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Re: [mazbook1] Jalapeno Sauce (not quite a salsa)

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Quote

My Mexican wife taught me how to approach unknown salsas in México. She spoons a small amount onto the back of her hand and tastes it before using or setting aside.

Absolutely...but I have never seen anyone put the drop for tasting onto the back of the hand. In my experience, the salsa or whatever else might be up for tasting is always put into the outstretched palm, and it's done without touching the spoon to the flesh.

This salsa de aguacate that we're discussing is also hot enough to make smoke come out of your ears.

http://www.mexicocooks.typepad.com

Peter

Jun 29, 2010, 8:03 PM

Post #8 of 14 (4629 views)

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Re: [Peter] Jalapeno Sauce (not quite a salsa)

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There is one ingredient I forgot, cilantro, a few sprigs. How does one describe the taste of cilantro? It gives the salsa (or whatever you use it in) a fresh flavor.

(This post was edited by Peter on Jun 29, 2010, 8:11 PM)

tashby

Jun 29, 2010, 8:52 PM

Post #9 of 14 (4621 views)

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Re: [Peter] Jalapeno Sauce (not quite a salsa)

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How does one describe the taste of cilantro?

It tastes like dish soap.

But only if there's way too much of it, which I've experienced more often than I care to remember.

Well proportioned.....great.....too much?....dish soap.

(Said at the risk of being run out of México!)

lostcoast

Jun 29, 2010, 9:01 PM

Post #10 of 14 (4619 views)

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Re: [All] Jalapeno Sauce (not quite a salsa)

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Wonderful! Thank you all for your speedy replies. The salsa of which I speak doesn't taste of avocado (to answer your question tashby) but the consistency and color does make one think of avocado - I think Peter and esperanza have nailed it.

Ill give it a go and report back :)

Many, many thanks!

mazbook1

Jun 29, 2010, 9:05 PM

Post #11 of 14 (4615 views)

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Re: [esperanza] Jalapeno Sauce (not quite a salsa)

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esperanza, You are correct about the palm (actually heel) of the hand, although my wife sometimes does one or the other. I am the one that always uses the back of the hand.

As far as being a salsa de aguacate, I had a hard time believing that there was NO aguacate in this salsa, but my ladyfriend (now wife) said she thought that they also used some of the hot yellow peppers (not habaneros) to make it look more like the liquified aguacate salsa, i.e., not so dark green.

I eat a LOT of darn hot stuff, sometimes even surprising my wife, but this salsa was so hot that I didn't rush home and try to duplicate it. If I want anything that picante there are plenty of habanero salsas and peppers around and frankly, although care must be taken, the flavor of the habanero chiles is far superior to the jalapeño chiles IMHO. Serranos are just hot, they don't seem to add anything to the flavor of a dish, so I prefer them when I don't want the flavor of something changed but do want to spice it up a bit. Unequaled for spicing up mantequilla de pobre, the Guadalajara style guacamole.

(This post was edited by mazbook1 on Jun 29, 2010, 9:10 PM)

Peter

Jun 29, 2010, 10:11 PM

Post #12 of 14 (4607 views)

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Re: [mazbook1] Jalapeno Sauce (not quite a salsa)

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Are the hot yellow chiles you speak of Perón (or Perrón)? When there is a salsa made from those chiles it's the one I almost always choose. This area, particularly the town of Quiroga, is famous for its carnitas which just would not be the same without salsa de chile perón.

I like the serrano chiles mainly because they are fairly neutral in flavor and pack a lot of heat. They seem to go good with just about everything and they are very low cost, peso for peso they seem to give the most bang for the buck.

I like habanero chiles for certain things, and especially when you need to pack a punch. I am not always keen on the flavor of habaneros for every purpose. It seems there are just some things you don't use them for. A year or so ago I stopped at a cocina economica where they had a large molcajete full of fresh salsa. That kind of fresh salsa is the one everybody likes best but this was the first and only time I had come across salsa habanero de molcajete but it was not apparent it was habanero until after it was in your food.

Being the local Americano in a place where I am very much a rarity I am used to being warned about the salsa, though it rarely measures up to what I make for myself. I brushed off the warning and was very surprised to find they were right. However, the heat was about right for me but the habanero just wasn't a compatible flavor for the food being served. Another gentleman who came in after myself also blew off the warning, which I learned then they were giving everyone, but he did not finish his meal it was so hot. The staff at that cocina watched me with amazement, had a few questions for me about the food and the salsa to which I just told them, "excelente" then wiped up some remaining salsa on my plate with a tortilla, smiled,paid my bill, gave a "provecho" to the other diners, thanked them and left. But, damn, that was hot!

Anonimo

Jul 1, 2010, 6:26 AM

Post #13 of 14 (4554 views)

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Re: [esperanza] Jalapeno Sauce (not quite a salsa)

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In Reply To

I want some NOW!

Saludos,
Anonimo

mazbook1

Jul 1, 2010, 8:56 PM

Post #14 of 14 (4534 views)

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Re: [Peter] Jalapeno Sauce (not quite a salsa)

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Peter, Yes, both habaneros and jalapeños suffer from the "flavor" problem. Definitely NOT a one-size-fits-all situation for either one. But, as you verify, serranos are pretty neutral flavored, so they can be used in almost anything where you want a bit more "spiciness" without adding some "foreign" flavor.

Minor off-subject note: A bit of very finely chopped, deveined and deseeded habanero (to taste) is a wonderful flavor addition to nearly any cold potato salad recipe. Absolutely delicious. Jalapeño wouldn't work for this at all.

(This post was edited by mazbook1 on Jul 1, 2010, 9:00 PM)