Family Fridays #1 Chile Salsa
Hello Almost Indian Wife followers! I feel like Brittany should create a catchy name for you, a la celebrity fans like Beliebers or Little Monsters…she’ll have to think on that one.Brittany knew that I had married into a culturally rich family like her and asked if I could write something about my experiences in living that life. Being ¼ Mexican, I think I always craved the experience of rich culture that had been so watered down by the time it got to me. Seriously, when Toula was complaining about being Greek in My Big Fat Greek Wedding, I was ready to jump through the screen, push her out of the way and start yelling “opa!” while snapping my fingers in the air.It comes as no surprise to me that I ended up marrying someone with the last name Muzzalupo-Rivas. My husband is half Mexican, half Italian (yes, he is as gorgeous as you might imagine) and while these cultures may not be as foreign to most Americans as the Indian culture, there are still certainly some gaps to leap over as the Mexican/Italian version of being a “thella.” The first time I made my husband burritos he politely over-looked my canned Rosarita beans, under-seasoned ground beef and Pace salsa but the moment I tried to heat my tortillas in the microwave, I thought he might leave me. You can just call me Blanquita! For the record, the proper way is to heat them in a pan until they are pliable and slightly crispy.When I first met Luis’s grandparents I was so nervous and really had no idea what to say. They both have very thick Mexican accents and I struggled to correctly answer his grandfather’s questions without just nodding, smiling and giving vague “yeah, it’s really great” answers. Grandma was suspiciously and nerve-rackingly quiet and after a slightly awkward moment of silence about 15 minutes into the visit she finally said, “So, you cook?” After bumbling around a bit I finally managed “yes, actually, I love to cook.” We’ve been pretty cool ever since. I grew up eating PB&J’s, Mac ‘N’ Cheese, and vegetables out of the can. Bleak, I know. Being a part of this family has been a culinary revelation! I’m talking homemade tamales, guacamole, POZOLE, chile…the list goes on and on. I really am so grateful to be part of my own “Big Fat Mexican Family” but let’s get real…I’m there for the food. Just kidding. Kind of. I thought I would share with you all Grandma Rivas’s chile recipe as it especially close to my heart. And stomach. Enjoy!You may be wondering what that even is! I think I’ve come to take this knowledge for granted. Chile is the “salsa” that many Mexicans use in authentic cuisine. It is a smoky, spicy, a little salty but mostly just amazing concentration of charred hot peppers, tomatoes and garlic. It’s awesome on grilled meats, beans, or shoot, just try it on anything!
Chile Salsa
16-20 small chiles of your choice (guajillo, mora, arbol, red jalapeno pepper , chipotle)1 small whole tomato3 clove garlic1/4 cup waterSalt
Cooking Instructions
Heat a cast iron skillet over medium high heat; add all ingredients to the pan. Cook each chile, until slightly blackened, garlic until lightly browned and tomato until tender.Puree the vegetables and chilies with 1/4 cup water in a food processor into a coarse salsa. Season with salt to taste.