Yucatecan tomato salsa

The Yucatán, which sits at the end of Mexico's curling peninsula, is often described as Mayan, and it was a vital cog in the old empire. The state is home to a proudly defiant people who, despite the devastation of disease, resisted the Spanish long after other Mesoamerican cultures collapsed. Many people in the countryside continue to live off the land, cooking pibil, meat cooked in pots buried under the ground, in earthen pits.

This is a simple salsa characterized by clean flavours and spice. It is originally made from habanero chillies, but I chose to use the very spicy Indian Naga chillies. The flavours are lovely, and the salsa adds a clean bang of heat to the dish.

This is a fabulous cookbook from a wonderful chef who has worked at some of Napa Valley's most renowned restaurants. Cindy's recipes are extraordinary. In her cookbooks, she brings unique flavors from around the world to your table. I have most of her cookbooks, and I love to cook from them.

For more recipes from this fabulous cookbook, click here.

Ingredients:

4 large tomatoes

1 teaspoon olive oil

1/2 onion, finely diced

1/2-1 habanero or Naga chilli, finely diced

Salt, to taste

NOTE: If you are using dried chillies, soak them in hot water for 20 minutes. Then, remove and peel off the skin, discarding the seeds and stems.

Heat the oven in broil mode. Add the tomatoes to a lined baking sheet and roast for 20-30 minutes until the tomatoes are very soft and charred in spots. Remove and cool completely. Peel off the skins. Dice the roasted tomatoes to a fine mush.

Heat the oil in a shallow pan. Add the onions and sautè on low heat until the onions are soft but not coloured. Add the chillies and cook for 1 minute. Add the salt and tomatoes and cook for 10 minutes until you have a sauce. Taste for salt and spice. Cool completely and store in the fridge until needed.