Chunky Hazelnut Salsa Macha
This Mexican salsa is inspired by a wonderful Rick Bayless recipe. I love it because you can blend it up with some soaked cashews to make a smooth and creamy sauce that’s great over a hot wedge of frittata or leave it chunky and top chicken tacos or a plate of roasted veg.
I especially like to add it to brothy soups, which can totally transform a simple meal into a dish with layers of bold flavor and a touch of chili heat. Guajillo chilies are delightfully fruity and don’t add much heat at all, so I add a couple of chilies de arbol, which really pack a punch. If you’re not a fan of heat, you can leave them out.
The Recipe
Yield: about 1 cup
Ingredients:
2-3 dried chili de arbol
4-5 dried guajillo chili
2 Tbsp raw or lightly toasted sesame seeds
¼ cup raw hazelnuts
¼ cup whole garlic cloves
1 cup olive oil
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar – don’t substitute any other vinegar
1 ½ tsp Diamond kosher salt
Directions:
1. Cut with scissors or crush with your hands the chili de arbol into approximately ¼” pieces and place in a large heat-proof mixing bowl.
2. Remove the stems from the guajillo chilies, cut in half down the length of chili and remove all the seeds and white veins, discard. Cut the chilies into approximately ¼” pieces with a pair of scissors. Add to the bowl with the sesame seeds.
3. In a small pot over medium heat, toast the nuts and garlic in the olive oil for about 5 minutes until the garlic starts to turn golden. Remove from the heat and pour over the chilies and sesame seeds. Stir to combine.
4. Add the apple cider vinegar and salt and transfer entire mixture to a blender to blend until you get the preferred consistency. It should still be a little chunky, but you shouldn’t have any more large bits of nuts or garlic.
5. Transfer the salsa macha to a container with a tight-fitting lid and cool to room temperature. I like to use a glass mason jar for this, since it’s heat-proof…and pretty! Store in the fridge for 2, or more, weeks.
