Pinto Three Chile Salsa
Submitted by nise
Pinto bean salsa with three dried chiles, dark beer, blackened tomatoes, and caramelized onion, pureed and re-fried in smoking-hot peanut oil. A deeply smoky, complex Mexican condiment.
YIELD
2 cupsPREP
20 minCOOK
2 hrsREADY
2 hrsThis pinto bean salsa is nothing like your jar from the grocery store. Three types of dried chiles, dark beer, blackened Roma tomatoes, and roasted garlic get blended into a fiery puree, then re-fried in smoking-hot peanut oil to concentrate and deepen every flavor. Mixed with tender cooked pinto beans, it’s a salsa with serious substance.
Each chile brings something different. Arbol chiles (toasted with seeds intact) deliver sharp, immediate heat. Pasilla chiles add fruity, raisin-like complexity. Chipotles bring smoke. Layering all three creates a depth that a single chile powder can never match.
Toasting and rehydrating the dried chiles is a step that unlocks their full flavor. Dry toasting in a hot pan wakes up the oils, and soaking in warm water softens them for blending. It takes a few extra minutes but transforms the salsa.
Re-frying the blended puree in smoking-hot oil is a traditional Mexican technique called “recaudo." The high heat caramelizes the sugars in the chiles and tomatoes and thickens the sauce in about five minutes.
Chef Tips
- Toast the dried chiles just until fragrant, 30-60 seconds per side. Burnt chiles taste bitter.
- Blacken the tomatoes under a broiler or in a dry cast iron skillet until charred on all sides.
- The peanut oil must be truly smoking hot before adding the puree. It should sizzle aggressively on contact.
- Add the apple cider vinegar at the end to brighten the flavors without cooking off the acidity.
Variations
- Milder version: Reduce the arbol chiles to one and remove the chipotle for a gentler heat.
- Black bean version: Swap pinto beans for black beans for a darker, earthier salsa.
Ingredients
Directions
Wash and drain beans, place in a large pot and cover with water.
Cook until soft, about 1½ hours, but it make take up to 2 hours.
Drain and transfer to a mixing bowl.
Add the salt.
Toast the arbol and pasilla chiles together.
Rehydrate all dried chiles in one cup of warm water.
If using canned or fresh, omit this step.
Drain and set aside.
Roast and peel jalapeno chiles, seed, dice and set aside.
Heat olive oil and sauté the onion over medium-high heat until caramelized.
Transfer to a blender along with the chiles (not the jalapeno chiles), garlic, tomatoes, beer and puree.
In a wok or large skillet, heat peanut oil until smoking hot and add the puree.
Re-fry until reduced and thickened, this will take about 5 minutes.
Transfer ¾ of this re-fried mixture to a mixing bowl and add beans and cider vinegar.
Garnish with jalapeno.
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