Salsa Macha Verde

 

 

 

Salsa Macha Verde

(Green “She-Man” Sauce)

 

In San Andrés Tuxtla we were treated to a magnificent luncheon at La Caperucita, a magnet for good eating in the Tuxtlas area.  (The name refers to the fairy tale of Little Red Riding Hood, “Caperucita Roja” and a brand name for a cheese.)  Elodia Guevara Chávez and Juan Pablo Chávez Guevara, the mother-and-son team who built up the restaurant from its humble beginnings as a hamburger cart, had pulled out all the stops to welcome us and introduce us to experts on the regional cuisine.  An epic meal featuring at least a dozen excellent seafood, meat, and masa specialties was accompanied by this fresh-flavored variation on the beloved Veracruzan salsa macha.

This type of sauce is not difficult to make by hand in a molcajete or other large mortar.  When using a blender or food processor, try to reproduce the chunky texture of the hand-ground version by stopping before the ingredients turn into a paste.

 

Makes about 1 cup

 

2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped

1/2 small white onion, coarsely chopped

6 fresh jalapeño or serrano chiles, seeded (if desired to reduce the heat) and coarsely chopped

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Juice of 1/2 lime

 

 

Grind the garlic, onion, chiles, and salt to a rough paste using a mortar and paste, or place in a blender or food processor and process with an on/off motion just until roughly combined.  Add the lime juice and grind or process just until the mixture forms a coarse textured sauce.  Use at once.