Salsas are generally thought of as a tomato-based dip, see Three beaks of the rooster salsa, but there are countless variations with other vegetables and even fruit. Here is an amazing salsa that does not play by the rules.
For this salsa use wild mushrooms, morels, buttons, crimini, oysters and others. The more varieties you have the more complex the flavour of this salsa will be. Frying the mushrooms in bacon adds richness to the earthy mushrooms and the salsa shines. However, for vegetarians, the salsa is just as good cooked with olive oil. This is a lovely salsa if the quesadillas or tacos are boring, but it will be a star on any table. I served these with Mushroom quesadillas for an overload of mushrooms.
This is a small specialized volume on salsas and has recipes for the most basic taqueria salsa to fresh fruit salsas, and complex salsas like this one. This is my go cookbook for salsas and I recommend that you get it for its amazing variety of salsas.
For more recipes from this cookbook, click here.
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon pancetta, bacon or lard, or olive oil for a vegan version
1 lb mushrooms, sliced
2 tablespoons cilantro, minced
12 tablespoons onions, finely minced
1 serrano or another spicy green chilli, minced
Salt, to taste
Heat the oil in a frying pan. If using pancetta/bacon, cook for 3-4 minutes on a low fire to render the fat but do not let the bacon crisp. Add the mushrooms and salt and fry till the liquids from the mushrooms have evaporated and the mushrooms are golden and crisped. Cool.
Mix in with the rest of the ingredients and toss well. Taste for salt and spice and adjust if needed.