Southern Mexico is a place of beauty, where the oceans lap against white sand beaches, the jungles intertwine with the slow pace of life and ancient pyramids and temples seem to be in the most unlikely of places. The weather here is warm, and the people are even warmer.

I was lucky enough to spend some time in Huatulco, in the Mexican state of Oaxaca a few years ago. It was a trip hat was full of eating, sipping on some mescal under an umbrella and body surfing to the fairly large shore break waves on one of the famed seven beaches. It was the perfect vacation. One day while looking for some lunch I stumbled upon a traditional Oaxacan restaurant where they served a smoked Coban salsa. Coban chilies are piquin chilies that have been smoked, and are indigenous to southern Mexico and Guatemala. A bit spicy with a great smokey flavor, this is one salsa you can’t do without.

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Smoked Coban Salsa

Printable version of this Smoked Coban Salsa recipe (word doc)

1# tomatoes, seeded

6 ea smoked Coban chilies (sub 1 to 2 chipotles)

1 ea cayenne chile

1 ea New Mexico red chile, seeded

¼ red onion

5 garlic cloves

¼ cup cilantro

Salt to taste

1. Place all of the dried chilies into a pot with 1.5 cups of water.
2. BTAB and simmer until chilies are tender and the water has been reduced by half.
3. Grill or otherwise char the tomatoes, onion and garlic.
4. Place all ingredients except the cilantro into a food processor or blender and puree.
5. Remove the salsa and place back into the sauce pot, BTAB over a medium flame and reduce the excess liquid for about 5 minutes or until the salsa thickens up and dries out a bit.
6. Place the salsa back into the processor/blender and add the cilantro and puree.
7. Season with salt, cool and serve.

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