Linda here on this hot, humid day, wondering how on earth we arrived at September.

This Salsa is Super Simple. And Powerful. Not only in the way it explodes onto your tongue, but also in how easy it is to digest. I find the two ingredient version of this easy on my stomach and not as “pesado” (heavy) as the salsa with more ingredients.

I’ll admit that, in the beginning of my affair with chiltepin,  my bias was to add more flavor to this salsa. So I added oregano and garlic and tomatoes and some salt.(see last photo)

But, having dabbled and experimented, I have returned to the very, stripped down, basic recipe.   I adore it.   Sometimes people add a bit of salt too – which up’s the ingredient count up to a staggering 3.

This recipe was taught to me my a dear friend from Sonora, Mexico. It is the basic chiltepin salsa that you will find in nearly every household there.

Warm a skillet. No oil.

Put in a tablespoon (or more!) of chiltepin, move the chilies around and immediately turn off the heat. You are essential toasting the chiles. The aroma is intoxicating for the Lover of chiles. Be careful of your face, as sometimes these little chilies will “pop”.

In a food processor blend the warm chiles with just boiled water. I used less than a cup of water.

Note: Make sure to use a lid while you blend. And when you remove the lid, take care! I almost had my socks blown off me.  Like a true explosion, the aroma alone can force you backward, away from the blender/food processor to catch your breath.  I was warned about this, but didn’t take it seriously, because I am an arrogant chile eater with an over confident sense of my tolerance for this chiles’ “heat” and didn’t think that the oils in the chiles that wafted out of the blender would actually affect me.

I mention this to you in case you too might need reminding to keep your senses about you as you wade into the world of this 9000 year old chile. And chiltepins “heat” works differently than domesticated chiles. The heat FLARES quickly on the tongue and inside of your cheeks, and then subsides. Most domesticated chiles’ heat seem to “work” in reverse.

Place in a glass jar. This salsa has a thinner consistency than many salsas north of the border.

Great on chips, quesadillas, eggs, beans, rice ………..

If you cant resist adding “more” to it, play around with the flavors/ingredients s of your choice and blend away until you create the flavor and consistency that speaks to you. The  version in the photo above has Mexican oregano, fresh garlic, and roasted tomatoes in their pre-blended state.  There really is no “right” way to do this – enjoy robust experimenting until you get the taste and texture that delight both tongue and spirit!  (I roasted cherry tomatoes in a sauce pan like the chiles (no oil), but you could roast them in an oven, or, grill them over fire).  Then add them to your basic chile salsa.