i've tweaked zarela martinez' wonderful recipe for salsa a la veracruzana, from her book zarela's veracruz. i had to make it last night after kat and i found wonderful tamales at a market in pontiac.
heat a few tablespoons olive oil until it shakes. add a handful of whole garlic cloves and cook them for a few minutes, until golden but not brown. remove them (when they're cool, they're awesome as munchfood while you sip some patron).
add a handful of minced garlic and a chopped white onion. cook until the onion is translucent. stir in 4 or 5 large ripe tomatoes. if it's not summer, use a 28 ounce can san marzanos. reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes.
then add:
3 pickled jalapenos
1 tablespoon capers
1/2 cup flat leaf parsley
a dozen or so big green olives stuffed with chiles (not pimientos)
several sprigs each fresh thyme and oregano
1/4 teaspoons cinnamon or, if you have it, canela
1/2 cup dry white wine
stir well and cook, covered, for another 20 minutes. taste for salt, but it should be fine.
this will be wildly spicy, so be sure your tamales are sweeeeet corn.
i served this sauce with sweet tamales, chorizo, queso fresca, and sliced avocados with a squeeze of lime.
add jasmine rice, a light salad or pickled vegetables, and uniced water alongside your tequila.
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