September 13, 2016

Creamy Jalapeño Sauce

Green and creamy-frothy on the tables of our favorite little Mexican restaurants, we have spent many a delicious moment speculating about the ingredients of this green condiment. Emulsified oil, figured that out. Some kind of chile, yep. And beyond that we weren’t sure if there was lime, vinegar, mayonnaise or avocado…but just kept on eating regardless of the speculations.

This is different than a tomatillo salsa verde which is also incredibly yummy but not as creamy. Sometimes this sauce is so mild I could eat it with a spoon…and sometimes, as I remembered too late when piling the sauce on my tacos in Colorado where they are not shy about their picante spicy-heat, this same creamy green favorite can make me weep onto my plate.

Simmer the peppers until they are soft and have changed color but not falling apart. This recipe may need some adjustments because jalapeños vary in size and heat intensity. Cooking peppers seems to lesson their heat so I’m not as afraid of leaving the seeds (where much of the spice comes from) in the mix. It also seems, in my totally unscientific observation, that jalapeños in the U.S. are becoming milder—it may be from purposeful manipulation of varieties or it may be from weather (whether what??). But apparently I need to remember they don’t allow the mild jalapeños into the southwest…

There are many variations on this sauce but the main idea is the peppers are lightly boiled (or grilled) with onion then blended with oil to emulsify the mix. The next main idea is to enjoy it with your tacos, meats, chips, fries or vegetables.

Saludos!

Creamy Jalapeño Sauce

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 10-15 minutes
Cover with water in a saucepan:

6-8 fresh whole Japapeños, Anchos, Poblanos or your pepper mixture of choice

1 small Onion

Simmer 10-15 minutes until the peppers begin to change color and are soft but not mushy.

Remove stems and let the water drain out.

Add to a food processor:

the cooked Peppers and Onion

1 teaspoon Salt

Splash of Lime Juice to taste

Optional: 1 small clove Garlic (optional because you don’t want the garlic to overpower the sauce, but if you have a strong flavored dish the garlic may be a great addition)

Pulse chop, then turn on and drizzle in while blending:

1/2-3/4 cup Oil, Canola or another mild flavored oil

Taste and adjust.

Some random beauty for the end of the post, purple goes well with green.