El Restaurante Mexicano
Summer 2001
The Salsa Beat
Creative salsas make menus dance with flavor!
By Kathleen Furore
Editor, El Restaurante Mexicano
©2001 Maiden Name Press LLC
When your customers hear the word "salsa," salsa fresca probably first comes to mind. But anyone who knows Mexican cuisine knows salsa is much more than a chip dip made with tomatoes, chiles and onions. As Mark Miller, owner of the acclaimed Coyote Café in Santa Fe, New Mexico and Red Sage in Washington, D.C., writes in "The Great Salsa Book" (Ten Speed Press, 1994): "It is probably no coincidence that [salsa] stands for both the rhythmic, brassy music and for the colorful, picante South-of-the-border condiment. ... In musical terms, salsas can raise the tempo of any food, speed up its flavors and beat, and give it soul. In culinary terms, the music is tantalizing and spicy."
Americans clearly have caught the salsa beat. Salsa now outsells ketchup as a condiment, and more varieties of it – many with chipotles, habaneros, cilantro and fruit – are showing up on supermarket shelves. Now noted chefs, authors and restaurant owners are capitalizing on the salsa craze.
"Salsas are a great way to accent entrees, they're great vegetarian sauces, and great condiments," says Leland Atkinson, author of "¡Cocina!" (Ten Speed Press, 1996) and executive chef for Washington Parties, a catering company in Washington, D.C. "Salsas are healthy and nutritious. They add a bold character and flavor without a lot of fat."
"We came out with a salsa book last year that really spans a broad spectrum," says Susan Curtis, owner of New Mexico's Santa Fe School of Cooking and author of "Salsas: The Santa Fe School of Cooking Series" (Gibbs Smith, Publisher, 2000). "Salsa can be anything from a condiment to a sauce to what people typically think of as salsa. It has so many different uses ... salsa can really make the menu!"
And it can make the menu at high-end Mexican restaurants, family-dining eateries, quick-serve restaurants or taquerias, experts agree. "If someone is going to a Southwestern or Mexican food restaurant, I think they're very anxious to try new flavors," says Curtis. She advises chefs and restaurateurs to experiment with salsa recipes, and stresses the importance of fresh ingredients. "It's a high priority. If you don't start with good, fresh ingredients, the results will not be good no matter what!"
Grilled Nopa and Poblano Chile Salsa
Creative Mexican and Southwestern recipes are Curtis' forte. And she and her staff have some favorites in the salsa category that are ideal for restaurant kitchens, the Grilled Nopal and Poblano Chile Salsa and the Tropical Fruit Salsa among them.
"I love that one!" Curtis says of the salsa the school's chef and instructor David Jones created with cactus paddles, poblanos, garlic, cilantro and cumin. "It's very flavorful and very different. It works very well as a side dish and as a condiment on meats," she explains. It's also ideal as a garnish for tacos and carne adovada. "But it needs to be very fresh," she adds.
For poultry or seafood dishes, Curtis recommends the Tropical Fruit Salsa from Peter Zimmer, "one of our most creative chefs." The light, colorful condiment brimming with diced papaya, pineapple and mango is particularly appropriate for summer dining. This salsa is also good with lamb or barbecued game.
She also likes the Roasted Tomatillo Salsa – "probably the favorite green salsa at the school." Featuring tomatillos and fresh serrano chiles, the salsa developed by chef and instructor Kathi Long is a terrific sauce for cheese or chicken enchiladas, Curtis notes.
Two of the recipes featured in "¡Cocina!" were "staples at Red Sage," says Atkinson, who used to work with Miller at his Washington, D.C. eatery. The Fire-Roasted Tomatillo Salsa with Basil – made with chipotles which add a smoky flavor that blends with the basil's slight licorice taste – is great as a dip chip as well as on tamales, grilled meats and seafood. And the Papaya and Black Bean Salsa is a fruity offering you can use on seafood, grilled chicken and tuna carpaccio and tartare.
Reprinted with permission from "¡Cocina! : A Hands-On Guide to the Techniques of Southwestern Cooking" by Leland Atkinson. Copyright
1996, Ten Speed Press, Berleley, CA., www.tenspeed.com. Photo by Renee Comet.
|
Papaya and Black Bean Salsa Makes about 2 cups | |||
| 1 | T. diced red onion | ||
| 1 | lg. papaya, peeled and diced | ||
| 1/4 | c. cooked black beans, rinsed and drained well | ||
| 1 | T. coarsely chopped fresh basil | ||
| 2 | T. diced red bell pepper | ||
| 1/2 | t. diced serrano chile | ||
| 1/2 | t. salt, or to taste | ||
| Pinch of freshly ground black pepper | |||
| 2 | t. honey | ||
| 2 | t. fresh lime juice | ||
| 1-1/2 | t. balsamic vinegar | ||
| 1 | T. olive oil | ||
|
Put red onion in a sieve and run warm water over it 2 to 3 seconds to rinse. Drain onion and put it in a medium bowl with the remaining ingredients. Stir ingredients until just blended. Taste and adjust seasoning. Let sit for 30 minutes at room temperature, and chill slightly before serving.
You can substitute mango for papaya, but will need a bit less lime juice.
| |||
|
|
|
|
Reprinted with permission from ¡Cocina! : A Hands-On Guide to the Techniques of Southwestern Cooking" by Leland Atkinson. Copyright 1996, Ten Speed Press, Berkely, CA., www.tenspeed.com. Photo by Renee Comet.
|
Fire-roasted Tomatillo Salsa with Basil Makes about 2 cups |
|||
| 3-1/2 | t. olive oil | ||
| 1/2 | c. sliced onion | ||
| 15 | tomatillos (about 1-1/2 lbs.), soaked in warm water for 30 minutes, husked, and fire-roasted | ||
| 1 | T. chipotles in adobo purée | ||
| 1/2 | t. salt, or to taste | ||
| 1/2 | t. sugar, or to taste | ||
| Juice of 1 lg. lime | |||
| 1/2 | c. fresh basil leaves, coarsely chopped | ||
| In medium sauté pan or skillet over medium heat, heat 2 teaspoons of oil and sauté onion, stirring occasionally, 4 to 8 minutes, or until golden brown and completely soft. Place tomatillos, onion, and chipotle purée in a blender or food processor and pulse to a coarse or smooth purée, as you prefer, adding a little water to thin, as necessary. Add salt, sugar and lime juice. Taste and adjust seasoning. Stir in the chopped basil and let sit at room temperature for 1 hour before serving. Store in airtight container in refrigerator for up to 3 days. Taste and adjust seasoning of chilled sauce, and thin with a little water, if necessary.
| |||
|
|
|
|
|
Reprinted from "Douglas Rodriguez's Latin Flavors on the Grill," Copyright 2000, Ten Speed Press, Berkeley, CA., www.tenspeed.com. Serve with Turkey with Mole Rub; Photo by Rodney Weidland.
|
Grilled Pineapple-Tomatillo Salsa | |||
| 15 | tomatillos, peeled and washed | ||
| 3 | (1/2-inch-thick) slices pineapple | ||
| 2 | chipotle chiles in adobo | ||
| 1/4 | c. fresh cilantro leaves | ||
| 3 | T. honey | ||
| 1 | onion, finely diced | ||
| 1/2 | t. salt | ||
|
Combine tomatillos, chipotle chiles, cilantro, and honey in a blender and pulse until a bit chunky. Transfer to a bowl. Dice the grilled pineapple into 1/8-inch pieces and add to the tomatillo mixture, along with the diced onion and salt. Place in refrigerator to chill, or serve warm.
| |||
|
|
|
|
|
