Mojo Palmero de Almendras

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Large mortar and pestle, at least 18cm wide, or a compact food processor
• •Small dry frying pan
• •Heatproof bowl
• •Blunt table knife or small kitchen knife

Instructions

1. 1

   Soften the peppers

   Split the dried peppers, remove the stems and most of the seeds, and put them in a heatproof bowl. Cover with the just-boiled water, weight them with a small plate, and leave for 30 minutes. Drain them, then scrape the softened red flesh from the tough skins with the blunt side of a knife. Discard the skins.

   Some pimientas palmeras are quite hot. Wear gloves while opening them if you don't know the batch, and keep your fingers away from your eyes.
2. 2

   Toast the almonds

   Set the almonds in a dry frying pan over low heat. Toast for 6 to 8 minutes, moving them often, until they are pale gold inside and smell nutty. Do not take them dark or the mojo will carry that bitterness. Tip them onto a plate and let them cool completely.

3. 3

   Pound the base

   Put the garlic, cumin seeds, and coarse salt in a large mortar. Pound until the garlic is a smooth paste and no whole cumin seeds remain. Add the scraped pepper flesh and work it into a uniform brick-red majado, the pounded base of the sauce.

4. 4

   Work in the almonds

   Add the cooled almonds in three batches, pounding each addition before the next goes in. Keep going until they form a fine, slightly grainy cream with the pepper base. This order decides the mojo: grind the nuts before adding liquid, because almonds coated too early in oil skate around the mortar instead of breaking down.

5. 5

   Add vinegar and oil

   Work in the vinegar, then add the olive oil a tablespoon at a time, stirring and pounding until each addition disappears before adding the next. Stir in 30ml warm water. The finished mojo should fall slowly from a spoon and hold a soft ridge, thick enough to cling to a potato but not stiff like a paste. Add up to 15ml more water only if needed.

6. 6

   Rest and adjust

   Cover and rest the mojo for 30 minutes so the garlic, vinegar, and pepper settle into one another. Taste it with a piece of potato or bread, not from a bare spoon, then adjust with a pinch of salt or a teaspoon of vinegar if needed. Serve at room temperature. Siempre sale, si lo sigues.

Chef Tips

• •Pimienta palmera is the ingredient worth seeking. Buy whole dried peppers that remain flexible and smell fruity when opened; brittle, dusty peppers have little left to give. Ñora is the sensible substitute, but it makes a sweeter and less earthy mojo.
• •Choose a mild, fruity extra virgin olive oil. A very bitter oil will dominate the almonds and garlic, and beating it hard in a fast blender can make that bitterness stronger.
• •A food processor is fine when the mortar is too small. Grind the cooled almonds first, pulse in the garlic mixture and pepper flesh, then use short pulses as the vinegar and oil go in. Leave a little almond grain. This sauce isn't meant to resemble mayonnaise.
• •Serve it with papas arrugadas, boiled new potatoes if the Canarian potatoes aren't available, grilled fish, roast pork, or firm goat cheese. Plain potatoes show whether the salt and vinegar are right better than a tasting spoon ever will.
• •Keep the mojo covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days because it contains fresh garlic and water. Do not store it at room temperature. The oil firms when cold, so let the sauce stand out for 20 minutes and stir well before serving.

Advance Preparation

• •Make the mojo a day ahead if you can. The pepper, garlic, cumin, and vinegar settle overnight, and the almond softens into the sauce without losing its slight grain.
• •Refrigerate it in a tightly covered glass jar for up to 4 days. Return it to room temperature for 20 minutes, stir thoroughly, and loosen with 1 teaspoon of warm water if it has thickened.
• •For longer storage, freeze it in small portions for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and stir firmly to bring the oil back into the sauce.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 28g)