Salsa De Molcajete
Ingredients
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- 1 pound roma tomatoes (~7.5 medium roma tomatos)
- 2 pieces serrano chiles
- 1 clove garlic
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 cup white onion – finely chopped (~0.5 medium white onions)
- 1/4 cup cilantro – chopped
Instructions
1. Heat a dry comal or heavy skillet over medium-high until hot.
2. Roast the tomatoes and serrano chiles, turning occasionally, until blistered and charred in spots; chiles will soften in 6–8 minutes and tomatoes in 10–12 minutes. Add the unpeeled clove for the last 3–4 minutes until lightly blackened in places; let cool slightly and peel the clove.
3. In a molcajete, grind the garlic with kosher salt to a smooth paste.
4. Add the roasted ingredients to the molcajete and crush to a coarse, saucy texture, about 2–3 minutes, working in the juices until combined.
5. Stir in finely chopped white onion and chopped cilantro. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve right away or let stand 10 minutes to mellow.
Salsa de Molcajete is a rustic, stone-ground Mexican salsa prized for its smoky char and chunky texture. Roasting the vegetables concentrates their sweetness while the molcajete’s rough basalt surface tears, rather than purees, creating a lively, toothsome sauce. The result is bright yet deep, with pops of heat from chiles, savory garlic, and the fresh lift of onion and cilantro.
Historically, this salsa reflects pre-Hispanic grinding techniques that long predate blenders, with the molcajete and tejolote (pestle) central to everyday cooking. Across Mexico, cooks make red or green versions depending on the produce at hand, often roasting on a comal over open flame. The approach endures because the method shapes flavor as much as ingredients, yielding a profile distinct from machine-blended salsas.