This fresh chiltepin salsa uses ripe tomatoes, a little white onion and lime, with whole Chiltepin peppers crushed finely so their heat spreads through the bowl. Start with two peppers and taste after a 15-minute chill. The finished salsa is coarsely blended and spoonable, with small tomato pieces rather than a smooth bottled-sauce texture.
1 pound (450 g) ripe Roma tomatoes, about 5 medium
1/4 cup (40 g) finely chopped white onion
1 small garlic clove, finely chopped
2 whole dried Desert Dust Chiltepin peppers, plus up to 2 more if desired
1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons (10 ml) water
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus up to 1/8 teaspoon if needed
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves and tender stems
Directions
Prepare the tomatoes. Wash the tomatoes and cilantro. Core the tomatoes, cut into quarters and remove only very watery seed pockets. Keep most of the flesh and juice. Chop the onion and garlic, and measure the ingredients.
Crush the Chiltepin. Wear gloves when handling the peppers. In a small mortar, crush 2 peppers with the measured salt and garlic until finely broken down. Stir in lime juice and water; let stand 5 minutes. Keep pepper dust away from your face.
Pulse the salsa. Put tomatoes, onion and the pepper mixture in a blender or small food processor. Pulse briefly, scraping down as needed, until the pieces are small but still visible. Stop before the salsa becomes a smooth liquid.
Stir and chill. Transfer to a clean bowl and stir in cilantro. Cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes so the flavors mingle. A little tomato juice may separate; stir it back in before tasting.
Adjust and serve. Taste a small spoonful. For more heat, finely crush one extra pepper at a time, stir it in and wait 5 minutes before tasting again; use up to 2 extra. Add the optional salt if needed. Serve chilled with tacos or chips.
Yield: About 2 cups; 16 servings of 2 tablespoons. Prep timing: 15 mins prep + 15 mins chilling.
The Dust In This Recipe
Chiltepin Pepper
$9.99
Make it with Desert Dust Chiltepin Pepper. Start with the amount listed, then taste before adding more.
✦Born WildWhole Chiltepin peppers from Sonora, Mexico.
✦Tiny but MightySmall peppers with an intense, distinctive flavor.
Start with 2 whole dried peppers for this approximately 2-cup batch. Pepper size, heat and personal tolerance vary, so this is a starting amount, not a promise of mild salsa. Taste after chilling, then add one finely crushed pepper at a time. Count peppers rather than treating a teaspoon of ground chile as an equivalent.
CAN I MAKE THIS IN A MOLCAJETE?
Yes. Use a clean, properly seasoned molcajete. Grind the peppers, salt and garlic first, add the lime and water, then crush the finely chopped tomatoes and onion in batches. Stir in cilantro at the end. The result will be more uneven than the blender version, which is part of its texture.
ARE THE TOMATOES RAW OR ROASTED?
This version uses raw ripe Roma tomatoes for a fresh flavor. A roasted-tomato salsa is a different variation with less moisture and a cooked flavor. Do not substitute hot roasted tomatoes into these no-cook timing instructions. Ordinary round tomatoes work, but remove especially watery seed pockets and expect a looser salsa.
HOW DO I MAKE IT LESS HOT OR LESS WATERY?
To reduce heat, add more chopped tomato and a little onion, then retaste the lime and salt; this increases the yield. Lime juice does not remove capsaicin. To limit water, avoid over-blending and drain only excess loose juice before serving. Do not thicken it with oil or starch.
IS CHILTEPIN THE SAME AS SPICY DESERT DUST?
No. The Chiltepin product is whole peppers. Spicy Desert Dust is a seasoning blend with other ingredients and salt, so it is not a direct substitute for the counted peppers here. The current Chiltepin product page lists Chiltepin peppers; check the actual package for allergen and handling information.
HOW LONG DOES THE SALSA KEEP, AND CAN I CAN IT?
Refrigerate promptly in a clean covered container at 40°F (4°C) or below and use within 3 days. Discard salsa left out beyond 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F (32°C). This is a fresh refrigerator salsa, not a validated canning recipe. Do not store it in the pantry, even in a sealed jar.
CAN I FREEZE IT OR LEAVE OUT THE CILANTRO?
You can omit cilantro without changing the method. For best fresh texture, refrigerate rather than freeze. If freezing is necessary, freeze promptly in a small freezer-safe container for up to 1 month for quality, thaw in the refrigerator and stir; the tomatoes will release more water and the herbs will soften.
