Pasta de Achiote
Posted: Sun Jan 20, 2008 4:15 pm
Pasta de Achiote
The most commonly known Yucatecan recado is a paste based on ground achiote seeds and other flavorings, bought premixed in market stalls or commercially packaged in bars. It lends flavor and a wonderful orange-red color to many sauces. Here is a homemade version that shows a crucial technique of Mexican cooking -- briefly toasting or searing aromatic ingredients to bring out their flavor and fragrance before adding them to a mixture. In Mexico this would be done over a flame, on a small flat griddle called a comal. It is a frequent and important step in handling spices, garlic, dried or fresh chiles, and tomatoes.
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon whole cuminseed
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
1 tablespoon Mexican oregano
3 cups hot orange juice or boiling water
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
4 large unpeeled garlic cloves
1 cup (about 6 ounces) achiote
2 tablespoons lard or vegetable oil
Preparation:
Heat lard or vegetable oil in a small or medium skillet over medium-high heat until almost smoking. Add achiote and saute, shaking pan constantly, for 5 minutes. Place achiote in heatproof bowl and cover with hot orange juice or water. Let soak overnight in refrigerator or at least 3 - 4 hours at room temperature. All the liquid should be absorbed and the seeds should be somewhat softened.
Heat a small heavy skillet or griddle over high heat until a drop of water sizzles on contact. Add the cuminseed and toast, shaking pan frequently, until fragrant. Set toasted cuminseed aside. Toast peppercorns in the same manner and set aside. Toast oregano and set aside. Work carefully while toasting spices so that they do not scorch; remove them from pan as soon as their fragrance is released, about 1 - 2 minutes. In the same skillet roast the unpeeled garlic cloves over high heat, turning several times, until dark on all sides and somewhat softened, 5 - 10 minutes, depending on your stove. Peel garlic and set aside with the spices.
Place soaked seeds, salt, and spices in the container of a blender or food processor fitted with steel blade. Grind thoroughly with pulse motion, adding more water or orange juice if necessary. Work in batches if necessary.
The mixture should be a smooth paste. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Can be stored several weeks tightly covered in refrigerator, or indefinitely in small containers in freezer. Yield: about 3 cups.
The most commonly known Yucatecan recado is a paste based on ground achiote seeds and other flavorings, bought premixed in market stalls or commercially packaged in bars. It lends flavor and a wonderful orange-red color to many sauces. Here is a homemade version that shows a crucial technique of Mexican cooking -- briefly toasting or searing aromatic ingredients to bring out their flavor and fragrance before adding them to a mixture. In Mexico this would be done over a flame, on a small flat griddle called a comal. It is a frequent and important step in handling spices, garlic, dried or fresh chiles, and tomatoes.
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon whole cuminseed
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
1 tablespoon Mexican oregano
3 cups hot orange juice or boiling water
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
4 large unpeeled garlic cloves
1 cup (about 6 ounces) achiote
2 tablespoons lard or vegetable oil
Preparation:
Heat lard or vegetable oil in a small or medium skillet over medium-high heat until almost smoking. Add achiote and saute, shaking pan constantly, for 5 minutes. Place achiote in heatproof bowl and cover with hot orange juice or water. Let soak overnight in refrigerator or at least 3 - 4 hours at room temperature. All the liquid should be absorbed and the seeds should be somewhat softened.
Heat a small heavy skillet or griddle over high heat until a drop of water sizzles on contact. Add the cuminseed and toast, shaking pan frequently, until fragrant. Set toasted cuminseed aside. Toast peppercorns in the same manner and set aside. Toast oregano and set aside. Work carefully while toasting spices so that they do not scorch; remove them from pan as soon as their fragrance is released, about 1 - 2 minutes. In the same skillet roast the unpeeled garlic cloves over high heat, turning several times, until dark on all sides and somewhat softened, 5 - 10 minutes, depending on your stove. Peel garlic and set aside with the spices.
Place soaked seeds, salt, and spices in the container of a blender or food processor fitted with steel blade. Grind thoroughly with pulse motion, adding more water or orange juice if necessary. Work in batches if necessary.
The mixture should be a smooth paste. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Can be stored several weeks tightly covered in refrigerator, or indefinitely in small containers in freezer. Yield: about 3 cups.