Mexican · Vegetable

Salsa Roja de Molcajete

Flame-roasted, crushed by hand, no blender in sight

Rating

Makes 1 pint Added by John Ingredients 7

This one hits different. There's something incredibly honest about salsa made in a molcajete. It's raw in the best way — flame-roasted ingredients, crushed by hand, no blender in sight.

Ingredients

550 g Roma tomatoes , whole
45 g white onion , large chunks
27 g garlic , whole still in paper
20 g serrano chile , whole
8 g Diamond Crystal kosher salt
2.2 g árbol chile
2 g chicken bouillon

Method

Char the ingredients. Heat a comal or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Place tomatoes in the center, then onions, garlic, and finally chiles on the outer edge. Toast the árbol chiles for just a few seconds until fragrant — don't burn them. Transfer toasted árbol chiles to a bowl and cover with boiling water; let steep 20 minutes until soft. Cook the remaining ingredients until blackened and tender, flipping as needed. Set aside separately.
Build the salsa in the molcajete. Rinse your molcajete with cool water. Add garlic, a pinch of salt, and some chile steeping water (if not bitter). Mash until smooth. Add the rehydrated árbols and fresh serranos; mash until smooth, adding water as needed. Add onions and mash until mostly smooth. Add tomatoes and mash to your desired consistency. Season with salt and bouillon to taste.