Aji Chile Salsa Food

AJí (COLOMBIAN-STYLE FRESH SALSA)

Steps:

• Finely mince the cilantro, onion, scallions and chile by hand, or by roughly chopping, then pulsing in a food processor. Transfer to a medium bowl.
• Working directly in the medium bowl and using a flat palm to press the cut side of the tomato against the large holes of a box grater, grate the tomato until you're left with just the skin. (The skin should protect your hand from the grater.) Discard the skin.
• Add 1 teaspoon kosher salt and a few tablespoons of water. Squeeze with lime juice to taste. Stir to combine. The ají should be quite thin in texture. Add more water as necessary. Taste and season with more salt, if desired. Finished ají can be stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

AJI (COLOMBIAN SALSA)

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients, cover, and let sit in refrigerator for at least an hour so all the flavors develop before serving.

AJI CHILE SALSA

Steps:

• Soak 1/3 cup finely diced white onion in ice water 15 minutes; drain. Mix with 1/2 cup each finely diced tomato and chopped cilantro, 1 each seeded minced aji chile and garlic clove, 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon lime juice and 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil. Thin with water. Season with salt.

AJI VERDE (PERUVIAN GREEN CHILI SAUCE)

Steps:

• Some recipes call for cilantro leaves only, but I threw in the stems as well to add some liquid to the sauce. I know cilantro is an acquired taste, so substitute with iceberg or romaine lettuce if you want a neutral taste but want to retain the green color.
• Halve and de-seed the chili peppers. Make sure you wear gloves or thoroughly wash your hands afterward. And don't rub your eyes!
• Puree all the ingredients in a blender, food processor, or hand immersion blender. It's like making pesto, start with the basic portions and adjust according to your taste. What worked for me was roughly those amounts. Add mayonnaise for creaminess. You can add water too if the sauce appears too thick. I've seen some recipes that called for white cheese or nuts, but felt those were too strong in taste since the versions of aji sauce that I've liked were light in flavor, with just an undertone of spiciness.
• Serve with bread for dipping.

PERUVIAN AJI SALSA VERDE

Steps:

• Add all ingredients and blend until smooth.
• Use peppers, garlic, and salt to taste. Experiment as necessary, you can't go wrong. (For mild version, use 1/4 to 1/2 jalepeno pepper and remove seeds).
• I recommend allowing to refrigerate a bit before serving to set and let flavors mix.
• Serve with bread or chips.

AJI AMARILLO-PINEAPPLE SALSA

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients in medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Let stand 2 hours, tossing occasionally. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
• *Available at Latin American markets.

AJI CRIOLLO - GREEN AJI SALSA

Steps:

• Wash the cilantro and dry thoroughly. Separate the leaves from the stems, and place the leaves in a food processor or blender, discarding stems. Chop the green onions and add them to the food processor with the cilantro. Process the mixture in short pulses, until everything is coarsely chopped.
• Mince the chile pepper, removing any stems or seeds. Add minced chile pepper by the teaspoon to the cilantro and onions, pulsing the mixture after each addition, until desired spiciness is obtained.
• Whisk together the vinegar and the juice from 1/2 of the lime. Whisk in the olive oil. Stir the chopped cilantro, green onions and chile pepper mixture into the oil and lime juice. Taste for seasoning and add salt to taste, or more lime juice if desired.
• 4.Store salsa in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to serve (salsa should keep for up to a week in the fridge).