Spicy Salsas & Moles: A Cookbook for Lovers of Mexican Heat, written by Ericka Sanchez and Nicole Presley, features a vibrant collection of sauces, condiments, and other accompaniments with a range of heat and variety of ingredients. A few highlights include Salsa Macha (Mexican Chile Oil), Salsa de Pimiento Rojo (Smoky Red Pepper Salsa), Salsa de Xoconostle (Xoconostle Salsa), Chamoy Casero (Homemade Chamoy), and Mole Manchamanteles (Tablecloth Stainer). I will also be sharing their recipe for a Classic Molcajete Salsa (Salsa Molcajeteada) following the review.
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from Familius in exchange for my honest review. All comments and opinions are my own. This post contains Amazon affiliate links. If you purchase something through the link, I may receive a small commission at no extra charge to you.
Ericka Sanchez
Ericka Sanchez is a recipe developer and food stylist. She created the culinary website, Nibbles and Feasts, in 2010 as a way to share traditional family favorites along with new recipes inspired by her travels and life in California.
Her work has also been featured in The Latin Kitchen, Nestle Kitchens Blog, Disney Family, Spanglish Baby, Latinamom.me, Momtastic, General Mills’ Que Rica Vida, and more.
Ericka was born in Torreón, Coahuila, Mexico and immigrated to El Paso, Texas at the age of eight with her family. She is currently based in California and also the author of Aguas Frescas & Paletas, ¡Buen Provecho!, and ¡Buenos Días!
Nicole Presley
Nicole Presley is a Latina culinary enthusiast, food stylist, and recipe developer. She shares her passion for cooking and beautiful food art on her social media platform, Presley’s Pantry.
A self-taught cook and baker, she is inspired by the traditional Mexican desserts of her childhood along with “Mexican-American fusion desserts to honor her dual cultures.”
Nicole was born and raised in East Los Angeles and currently lives there with her family. She is also the author of ¡Viva Desserts! and ¡Buenos Días!
Spicy Salsas & Moles
Ericka and Nicole begin Spicy Salsas & Moles with a short introduction before sharing a few tips to help get started. I especially appreciate the step-by-step guide on how to season and use a new molcajete.
Having a large Molcajete and Tejolote (Mexican mortar and pestle traditionally made of volcanic rock) is best for preparing most of the salsas in this book. They create a distinctive flavor and texture when crushing the ingredients by hand. If unavailable, you can make the recipes with a blender using the pulse function.
Chapters are divided according to the following: Cooked Salsas, Fresh Salsas, Enchilada Sauces, Sweet and Spicy Salsas, Curtidos and Escabeches, Moles and Pipianes, and Make It Spicy. The Contents page has a list of the included recipes with page number for easy reference.
Every single recipe is paired with a beautifully styled, full-page photo of the finished dish. There are also a handful of step-by-step photos demonstrating how to season the molcajete.
Measurements are listed in US Customary. Titles are written in Spanish and English. Each recipe has a headnote with background information, prep time, cook time, yield, spice level, and serving ideas.
Salsa Molcajeteada (Classic Molcajete Salsa)
To pair with this review, I went with the Classic Molcajete Salsa (Salsa Molcajeteada). A perfect starter for breaking in your Molcajete, this easy salsa has a delicious and spicy blend of tomatoes, tomatillo, onion, chiles, garlic, and cilantro.
Start by roasting the tomatoes, tomatillo, onion, chiles, and garlic on a large comal (or skillet) until char spots form and tomatoes start to break apart.
After forming a paste with the garlic, salt, and onion, the chiles, tomatoes, and tomatillo are then crushed until the salsa reaches the desired consistency.
Stir in the cilantro last before serving with chips (as we did) or tostadas. Any leftover salsa can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
A Few Salsa Molcajeteada Tips
This recipe is best using a large Molcajete and Tejolote. If unavailable, use the pulse option on a large blender or food processor. Take care to not break down the mixture completely.
Leave the peel on the garlic when roasting. This will act as a barrier to prevent the cloves from becoming too bitter.
The salsa packs a decent amount of heat with the addition of the jalapeño and serrano chiles. Adjust as desired.
More Salsas
I also made Salsa de Queso Asado (Roasted Cheese Salsa), Salsa Verde Cruda (Fresh Green Salsa), Salsa Bandera (Pico de Gallo), and Miel Picosa (Hot Honey).
The Salsa de Queso Asado recipe comes from the Cooked Salsas chapter. A delicious accompaniment to breakfast, slices of queso fresco are roasted until charred, then paired with a tomato and chile-based salsa. It is perfect with tortillas or eggs.
Salsa Verde Cruda (Fresh Green Salsa) is such a refreshing option for serving with tacos, eggs, grilled fish, or carne asada. It also comes together in less than 10 minutes. Simply place tomatillos, onion, serrano chiles, cilantro, mint, water, and salt in a blender and pulse until combined.
This Salsa Bandera (since it shares the colors of the Mexican flag) or Pico de Gallo is another quick and delicious recipe from the Fresh Salsas chapter. Chopped tomatoes are briefly marinated before tossing with onion, jalapeño, and cilantro.
The Miel Picosa (Hot Honey) comes from the Make It Spicy chapter featuring a few more fun recipes using heat. Pequín and árbol chiles are toasted briefly before grinding in the molcajete and lightly simmering for a few minutes in honey. It was such a wonderful blend of spicy and sweet. Nicole recommends drizzling the honey over milanesa, carnitas, elotes, or even stirred into ginger tea.
Spicy Salsas & Moles is a fantastic pick for those interested in adding a little heat to their meals. Recipes range from a mild spice to more intense levels. The heat can be adjusted as desired. Most of the salsas come together in less than 30 minutes. Some of the other dishes require longer simmering times or an overnight rest.
Many of the ingredients are becoming more readily available in larger grocery stores. A few items may require a trip to a Mexican market such as cactus pads, specialty/regional chiles, tomatillos, queso fresco, pepitas, xoconostles, dried hibiscus, and Mexican animal cookies.
Salsa Molcajeteada (Classic Molcajete Salsa) Recipe
Excerpt from Spicy Salsas & Moles
Salsa Molcajeteada (Classic Molcajete Salsa)
Ingredients
- 5 small Roma tomatoes stem scars removed
- 1 large tomatillo stem scar removed
- 1/4 white onion sliced in half
- 1 large jalapeño chile stem removed
- 2 serrano chiles stems removed
- 3 cloves garlic unpeeled
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
- 1/3 cup fresh cilantro roughly chopped
Instructions
- Place tomatoes, tomatillo, onion, chiles, and garlic on a large comal (or skillet) over medium heat.
- Remove cloves of garlic as soon as char spots appear. Let cool and peel.
- Roast tomatoes, tomatillo, onion, and chiles until char spots form and tomatoes begin to break apart.
- Add salt and cloves of garlic to a molcajete. Crush with tejolote until a paste forms.
- Add onion and crush until onion breaks down and a thick paste forms.
- Add chiles. Pierce with a paring knife; then crush into small pieces.
- Add tomatoes and tomatillo and crush until desired consistency.
- Stir in cilantro and serve with chips or tostadas.
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