Salsa De Mirasol

Submitted by Vicki Kaye

"This is a warm and wonderful salsa made from the aji mirasol chile. I discovered it after I posted a request for pure chile powder on this site, and a member directed me to worldspice.com. This is a company in Seattle that grinds your spices directly before shipping. Along with my powder, I decided to try these whole chiles and the recipe on their site, and used it over grilled halibut. I am tough to please--I don't like a chile to burn my mouth, and to avoid that unpleasantness, I often end up with a dish that is too bland. This is a perfect in-between. There is enough heat for interest, but the chile does not overwhelm the delightful herbs and lime combination. I hope you enjoy!"

 

• Ready In: 45mins
• Ingredients: 8
• Yields: 1 cup
• Serves: 6-8

ingredients

• 3 ounces aji mirasol chiles (I used one order from the site)
• 1 teaspoon salt, plus additional to taste
• 3 tablespoons safflower oil
• 4 tablespoons red onions, minced (I think 3 would have been enough)
• 4 tablespoons lime juice
• 2 teaspoons fresh cilantro, chopped
• 2 teaspoons of fresh mint, chopped
• 2 teaspoons fresh parsley, chopped

directions

1. Snip stems from chiles, then cut lengthwise, and remove ribs and seeds. Cut chiles into 1 inch pieces, and place in heat-proof bowl. Pour boiling water over chiles until just covered, and allow to sit 30 minutes. Stir in chiles, reserving liquid, and place in blender with 3/4 cup of the liquid. Add 1 teaspoons salt, and blend until smooth. Strain the paste through a sieve, pushing through patiently. (The flavor and texture will be worth the effort!) Discard pulp remaining in sieve. Whisk in the oil, onion, and lime, and salt to taste. Add the chopped fresh cilantro, mint and parsely, and stir. Allow to sit at least 15 minutes for flavors to meld.

Reviews

[LucyS-D]

Okay, I don't want to be funny or anything, but this recipe was really FUN to make. Somehow I felt very inspired at the ease of this and the versatility. I could really imagine experimenting with different peppers and other ingredients. It tasted like nothing I could buy in a store. I served it with chicken fajitas.

 

[Susie D]

This is not a typical tomato based "salsa". It is delicious & different and paired well drizzled on chicken tacos. There was an almost smoky flavor highlighted by the lime and cilantro. I skipped the mint (personal preference). Thank you for sharing the recipe & the experience! Made for Fall 2011 Pick a Chef. You were adopted! :-)