Salsa Macha

By JDARK

Ingredients

• 4 cups grapeseed oil
• 4 chiles de árbol, stemmed
• 8 ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
• 1/2 medium white onion, diced
• 6 garlic cloves, sliced thin
• 1/2 cup raw Spanish peanuts
• 2 cups honey
• Kosher salt

Details

Level of difficulty Average
Cost Average budget

Preparation

Step 1

For make the salsa macha: Heat the oil in a deep cast-iron skillet or a large Dutch oven to 350 degrees F.

Step 2

Fry the chiles de árbol and ancho chiles in batches, about 30 seconds per batch. Use a slotted spoon to move everything around for even frying.

Step 3

Strain out the chiles carefully with tongs, ensuring the oil drains out completely, and add to a clean large metal or glass bowl.

Step 4

In the same oil, fry the onions until golden brown and all of the pieces float to the surface, about 8 minutes. This ensures that all of the water has evaporated from the onion. Carefully strain out the onions with a large slotted spoon and add to the chile bowl.

Step 5

Next, fry the garlic slices until golden brown and floating, 3 to 4 minutes. Strain out with a slotted spoon and add to the chile bowl.

Step 6

Lastly, fry the peanuts until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Add to chile bowl. Allow the oil to cool completely in the pan and reserve for the next step.

Step 7

Once the oil has cooled, add the fried mixture to a blender or food processor in batches, filling it a quarter of the way up, and ladle in the cooled frying oil until the ingredients are submerged.

Step 8

Pulse or blend on low until everything is evenly broken down. Pour the salsa out into a new clean bowl. Repeat with the remaining fried mixture and oil. Whisk in the honey and season with salt.