Salsa

Tacos Árabes are a specialty of Puebla, home to one of Mexico’s most significant Lebanese communities. At most stands, the pork is cooked on a spit, then shaved off, shawarma-style. But for this recipe, you don't need a spit.

The scent of homemade salsa roja always takes me back to my childhood. The aroma of rehydrating dried chiles mingling with fresh serrano chiles or jalapeños, tomatoes, onion, and garlic was a weekly occurrence in our household. It was always too spicy for my young palate, but I never got sick of the smell wafting through the house. Though I’ve grown into a heat-seeker as my palate has evolved, this version doesn’t have to be spicy at all. Adding a single serrano chile to the mix gives this mild .…

This smoky chipotle and tomatillo salsa is an excellent dipping sauce for crudités or tortilla chips, or you can spoon it on top of tamales. You can use more chiles for a spicier sauce.

The two imperatives are that the tomatoes must be truly ripe and sweet and that the sauce should be eaten at once. If you must, you can hold it for up to two hours refrigerated and tightly covered, but it loses its magic fast. For the right slightly coarse texture, the ingredients should be chopped separately by hand. The only thing I sometimes do with the food processor is the chiles. Try to find fresh ones—canned jalapeños will work, but aren't ideal in a sauce supposed to be sparkling fresh.

Peanut butter tames the heat in this mild puréed salsa with serrano chiles and onions. Spoon it over mushroom tacos or use it as a dip for chips.

When tomatoes are at their best, we recommend making the salsa roja. During the rest of the year (even in winter), tomatillos still have plenty of flavor and can be your go-to salsa base.

This easy chile-spiked cooked tomato salsa pairs well with the beet-topped tostadas but is a great sauce all on its own.

Pico de gallo, but make it roasted.

This puréed charred-tomato salsa gets a silky texture from the tomatoes and is as good with chips as it is splashed over tacos.

Use this charred tomato-chile salsa to top Egg Shop's Chilaquiles.