Sauces Salsas
Because the sauce is incorporated into so many Latin American dishes, there is not a large body of separate sauces. At the same time it could be said with justi cation that Mexican cuisine is one of sauces with in nite variations played on a theme. The same is true of Peruvian cooking. No one has ever codi ed these sauces and it might, if it could be done, complicate rather than simplify matters. Every country has some form of hot pepper sauce, always present on family tables, so that the amount of re in one’s food is discretionary, though Peruvian dishes tend to be pretty hot in their own right. French sauces, sometimes with names that startle a little, have migrated to Latin America, and so has the technique of the sofrito, that useful mixture of sautÊed onion and garlic, which began in Spain and Portugal and was expanded during the colonial period from its simple original form to include peppers and tomatoes, gifts of the New World. The avocado-based sauces are well represented, as are sauces with tomato. Pebre
Chilean Hot Pepper Sauce CHILE
The number of hot peppers used in this sauce is purely discretionary. Some people like it very hot, and it is then just called Salsa Picante (Hot Sauce). As many as 8 hot peppers might be used. Others prefer it mild. Hot red peppers may be used instead of green. Makes about 1 cup medium onion, finely chopped clove garlic, minced tablespoons finely chopped fresh coriander (cilantro) tablespoon finely chopped parsley