PICO DE GALLO

2 ripe medium tomatoes diced
1 medium sweet onion peeled and diced
2 scallions
2-3 serrano chiles stemmed, seeded and chopped
1/4 bunch cilantro chopped
1 clove of garlic peeled and minced
Juice of 1 lime
salt

Mix tomatoes, onions, scallions, chiles, cilantro, garlic and lime juice into a medium bowl. Mix very well.

Cover and set aside at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving. Can also be refrigerated for up to 8 hours before serving.

CRAB SALSA

1 lb jumbo lump crabmeat picked apart
4 ripe medium tomatoes diced
1 small red onion peeled and sliced
1/2 cup boiled fresh or frozen white corn
Leaves of 1/2 bunch of cilantro chopped
1 medium scallion trimmed and chopped
Juice of 2-3 limes
2 tsps white vinegar
1/2 tsp ground cumin
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Mix crabmeat, tomatoes. onions, corn, scallions, and cilantro in a medium bowl. Drizzle lime juice and vinegar over the mixture.

Add cumin and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Toss gently but be careful not to break up lumps of crabmeat. Adjust the seasonings if needed.

Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hours.

Serve with tortilla chips or crackers.

SHRIMP COCKTAIL

1 lb small shrimp boiled and peeled
1 chopped up tomato
1/2 small white onion chopped and peeled
1 clove of garlic peeled and minced
1 jalapeno stemmed, seeded and sliced
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp chopped parsley leaves
salt and freshly ground white pepper
1 ripe avocado
1 lime cut into wedges

Mix the shrimp, tomatoes, onions, garlic, and jalapenos in a medium bowl. Stir in the oil and parsley then season with salt and pepper to taste.

Cut the avocado in half lengthwise. Remove pit and throw away. Peel of the outer skin and throw away and slice the remaining pulp.

Top the mixture with the avocado slices and serve with lime wedges.

Makes 4 servings

SHRIMP CEVICHE

1lb shrimp (you can substitute 1lb of any other skinless white fish)
Juice of 2-3 limes
1-2 serrano chiles chopped with stems cut off
1/2 bunch of cilantro
salt to taste

Add shrimp, lime juice, chiles and cilantro in a medium bowl. Season with salt and stir well to mix all ingredients.

Refrigerate stirring the shrimp every 30 minutes until shrimp is opaque and firm to the touch. This takes about 1-2 hours.

Serve cold with tortilla chips or crackers.

Makes 4-6 servings

MAYONESA DE CHIPOTLE

1 cup mayonnaise
4 tsp salsa negra (can substitute a few tsp of pureed canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce)
1 clove garlic peeled and minced
juice of 1 lime

Mix mayonnaise, salsa negra, garlic and lime juice together in a bowl.

Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Use as a dip for shrimp, lobster, or crab claws.

Can be stored covered in the refrigerator for up to one week

TORTILLA CHIPS

Cut 10 cooked corn tortillas into quarters. Deep fry the quarters in 350 degree oil stirring frequently until golden brown and crisp, about 2 1/2-3 minutes.

It is best to do this in small batches.

Drain on paper towels and season generously with salt. Serve while hot and slightly moist.

Serves about 6-8

GUACAMOLE

1/4 cup finely chopped and peeled white onions
1 jalapeno pepper stemmed, seeded and minced
1 tbsp finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves
salt
1 ripe avocado
1 small ripe tomato coarsely chopped

Place the onions, half the jalapenos and half the cilantro into a food processor and season with about 1/2 tsp of salt. Crush or pulse into a smooth paste and transfer to a serving bowl.

Cut the avocado in half lengthwise and remove and throw away pit. Scoop the avocado pulp out with a spoon and throw away outer skin of avocado. Add onion to mixture and mix well with a wooden spoon.

Stir in remaining onions, jalapenos, and cilantro and then gently mix in the tomatoes.

Adjust seasonings with salt and serve immediately with tortilla chips.

Makes about 1 1/2 cups

CACHUETES FRITOS (spicy fried peanuts)

1 dried onza chile
1 tsp kosher salt
juice of one lime
1/2 skinned raw peanuts
8 small cloves of garlic peeled
1 tbsp dried whole pequin chiles

Toast the onza chile in a nonstick skillet over low heat. Remove and throw away the stem and then grind the chile and salt together with a mortar and pestle. Add lime juice to chile mixture and set aside.

Toast peanuts and garlic cloves together in a skillet over low heat for about 5 minutes. Shake the skillet to keep the ingredients from burning. Add pequin chiles and toast for 1 minute longer.

Transfer to a dish and drizzle chile-lime mixture over the peanuts.

Serve warm.

Makes 4-8 servings

SALSA NEGRA

3 ounce dried chipotle chiles
6 tsps vegetable oil
12 cloves garlic peeled
salt

Rinse the chiles.

Heat the oil in a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add the chiles and the garlic and cook (remember to stir) until the chiles are puffed and the garlic is browned, about 5 minutes.

Transfer chiles to a bowl ad set garlic aside for now.

Soak chiles in hot water until soft, about 15 minutes and then drain. Remove the stems, veins, and seeds.

Puree chiles, garlic and 2 cups of water in a food processor or blender.

Heat the remaining oil in the same skillet over medium heat. Add chile puree and cook stirring with a wooden spoon until mixture begins to stick to skillet, about 10 minutes.

Season to taste with salt.

SALSA ROJA

2 serrano chiles stemmed
4 very ripe medium plum tomatoes
2 large cloves garlic crushed and peeled
salt
2 sprigs fresh cilantro trimmed

Heat a griddle or heavy skillet over medium high heat until hot but not smoking, about 5 minutes.

Add chiles and tomatoes to skillet and roast turning often until well charred all over, about 3-4 minutes for the chiles and 10-12 minutes for the tomatoes.

Transfer chiles and tomatoes to a plate and set aside.

Grind the garlic and 1/2 tsp salt together in a molcajete to a paste. Cut tomatoes into eighths and add to molcajete in 3 batches, grinding to a coarse pulpy consistency after each addition. Add 1/2 cup of water and season to taste with salt. Stir to combine.

Makes about 1 1/2 cups