Recado Negro Spice Paste
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
1 hr
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Soaking Time
12 hrs
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Total Time
13 hrs
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Servings
20 servings
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Calories
76 kcal
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Course
Condiments
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Cuisine
Mexican, Guatemalan
Recado Negro Spice Paste
Description
The Recado Negro Spice Paste starts with roasted dried chiles such as árbol and guajillo heated in an oven until thoroughly black and smoky. The burnt chiles are soaked overnight with repeated water changes to mellow bitterness. Stale corn tortillas are incorporated to provide body and texture, while achiote paste adds subtle color and flavor depth. The spice mix includes black peppercorns, cumin, allspice, cloves, fresh garlic, white onion, chipotle chiles, Mexican oregano, vinegar, and salt for seasoning.
The preparation involves roasting, soaking, and then combining these ingredients into a paste used in traditional Mexican cooking. The resulting paste is intensely flavored with smoky, earthy, and spicy notes, suitable for braises and sauces.
This recipe requires some advance planning due to the soaking and roasting steps, but the paste can be stored refrigerated for extended periods, providing a flavorful base for multiple meals.
Chile choice affects the flavor profile; chosen peppers balance smokiness and heat without overwhelming bitterness. The process of soaking with water changes is essential to tame the burnt flavors from charring.
Ingredients
- 1 ounce árbol chile dried
- 7 ounces dried guajillo chiles or New Mexican chiles
- 10 corn tortillas 7 ounces, stale
- 1 tablespoon achiote paste
- 1 teaspoon achiote verde (optional)
- 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
- 1 teaspoon cumin seed
- 1 tablespoon allspice berries
- 10 cloves
- 1 head garlic
- 1 onion peeled and quartered, white, large
- 2 chipotle chile
- 2 tablespoons Mexican oregano
- 3 tablespoons vinegar distilled, cider or banana
- 2 tablespoons salt
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425°F. Remove the stems from the dried chiles and arrange them in a large roasting pan, ideally in one layer. Roast them until they are completely black and smoking (use your oven fan!!!), about 15 minutes or so. Turn off the oven but leave the chiles in there another 30 minutes.
- While this is happening, it's a good idea to take out your tortillas and set them on the counter. You want to work with stale tortillas the following day.
- Move the chiles to a large pot and just barely cover with water. Crush and mash them with a potato masher or somesuch. Don't puree them. Put all the chiles into a strainer that you have lined with cheesecloth. Squeeze out all the water. Discard this water, which will taste like an ashtray.
- Put the chiles back in the pot, or a bowl, and cover with water again. Use running water to clean your cheesecloth into the bowl, so you catch the bits of chile stuck to it. You will want to soak the blackened chiles overnight, changing the water 2 times. Just pour off the water each time, no need to use the cheesecloth for this.
- The next day, char your tortillas. If you have a gas burner, this is easy: Set them on the burner until they catch fire, blow them out, and flip and char the other side. If you just have electric, you can do the same thing but it's not as easy. You can also just set them on a very hot cast iron pan or griddle until you get lots of blackening.
- Crush the tortillas and put them in a blender. Add to the blender the achiote paste and the achiote verde, if using.
- Toast the peppercorns, allspice berries, cumin seed and cloves in a dry pan until everything smells wonderful. Grind this in a spice grinder, then add to the blender.
- After you've charred the tortillas, you will need to char your onion and garlic. Separate the cloves of the garlic without peeling, then blacken the skins on a comal, griddle or cast iron pan. Do the same with the quartered onion, charring the two cut sides of the onion quarters. Chop all this an add to the blender.
- Strain the chiles, reserving the water. Add that, the chipotles and the Mexican oregano to the blender. Puree all of this thoroughly, adding the soaking water as needed to make the blades run smoothly.
- Now, set up that strainer and cheesecloth again and pour the contents of the blender into it. Squeeze out as much water as you can.
- Finally, scrape the mixture into a clean bowl and add the vinegar and salt. Mix well, pack into glass jars, and store in the fridge. It will last, more or less, forever.
Notes
- Use chiles such as chile puya, pasilla apaseo, salsero, or chiles de pais as realistic substitutes for authentic peppers.
- This paste can be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator for long periods.
- Achiote paste and Mexican oregano are key ingredients and widely available in Latin markets or online.
- Changing the water during the chile soaking step is critical to remove bitterness and ensure a balanced flavor.
- The recipe requires stale tortillas; drying fresh tortillas in advance will work if stale aren't available.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 20servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 76 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 76kcal | 4% |
| Carbohydrates | 16g | 5% |
| Protein | 2g | 4% |
| Fat | 1g | 2% |
| Saturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Sodium | 716mg | 30% |
| Potassium | 269mg | 6% |
| Fiber | 5g | 20% |
| Sugar | 5g | 10% |
| Vitamin A | 3019IU | 60% |
| Vitamin C | 5mg | 6% |
| Calcium | 34mg | 3% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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