This pineapple and habanero salsa from Gustavo Romero of Oro by Nixta brings the heat in the best way. It's fiery, a little sweet, and full of smoky depth from charring on the comal. It's the kind of salsa that wakes up anything you put it on.
Spoon it on tacos, grilled meats, roasted veggies, or whatever needs a serious flavor boost. The fresh diced pineapple at the end adds just the right bit of sweetness.
1 pineapple
1 small white onion
3 tomatillos, husked
2 habanero chiles, destemmed
1 lime, halved
Salt, to taste
½ cup chopped cilantro
⅓ cup olive oil
Remove the skin of the pineapple. Slicing from top to bottom, cut the pineapple into three equal slabs, with the middle slab containing the pineapple’s core. Cut each slab lengthwise into three batons, discarding the one containing the core. You should end up with 8 relatively equal slices. Reserve half for the salsa, and store the rest to enjoy later.
Slice the top and bottom off of the onion, peel, then cut the remaining section crosswise into two equal halves.
Heat a comal over medium-high heat. Add 4 pineapple batons, the onion, tomatillos, and habanero chiles. Cook, turning as needed, until nicely charred on all sides.
Place the habaneros in a molcajete with the juice of ½ lime and a generous pinch of salt. Mash into a paste.
Dice the charred onion and add to the molcajete, grinding until you achieve a rustic texture. Dice the pineapple and add ¾ of it to the molcajete (reserving the remaining ¼), roughly mashing. Quarter the tomatillos, add them to the molcajete, and mash until you get a coarse salsa.
Stir in the reserved diced pineapple slab along with the chopped cilantro.
Add olive oil and mix well to emulsify. Season with more salt and lime juice if needed.
1 comment
When I saw the video of Romero making this salsa, I knew I had to make it. I was worried two habaneros would be too much, but the balance of sweet, acid and heat is perfect. It was easy to make, and I found the process of preparing the vegetables and making the mash soothing. This is one of the more rewarding foods I have prepared in a long time.