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I was told by our waitress at Mexicana Mama the other night that for their warm Habanero Salsa they simply roast tomatoes, onion, and garlic, blend with canned habanero peppers, and use soy oil to emulsify.  I’ve been looking everywhere in NYC for soy oil and I have yet to come across it, so I ended up using grapeseed oil, which is similar to soy in that it has a neutral flavor and high smoking point.  I also used fresh habaneros instead of canned.

• 1 small yellow onion
• 3-4 garlic cloves
• 3-4 fresh tomatoes or 1 small can of whole peeled tomatoes
• 1-4 habanero peppers, depending on how spicy you want the salsa
• ~1/3 cup soy or grapeseed oil

Roast onion, garlic, tomatoes, and peppers at 425 for about 20-25 minutes.

Blend and add oil slowly.  Taste for salt and pepper.

Server warm.

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• 5-7 fresh tomatillos, depending on the size
• 1 poblano pepper (for mild)
• 2 jalapeno peppers (add for medium)
• 2 serrano peppers (add for hot)
• 1 yellow onion, roughly chopped
• 4-5 garlic cloves, skins removed
• 1 tsp cumin
• ~1/4 cup cilantro
• juice of 1 lime
• 1 or 2 tsp honey

Preheat oven broiler or grill on high heat.

Remove husks from tomatillos, rinse,  cut into quarters, and remove core.  Quarter and remove stems and seeds from peppers.

Toss tomatillos and peppers in olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and place in roasting pan (or tin foil will work if using grill).  Roast until charred, flip and roast until the other side is charred (see below).  It’s important to keep a careful eye on them, as they will cook very fast.  Set side to cool.

Saute onion over med heat until transparent.  Lower heat and cook garlic cloves until soft.

Add tomatillo mixture (with all juices), onion mixture, and all other ingredients to a large bowl and refrigerate for an an hour or two.

To finish, either chop everything up by hand or mix with a food processor or blender, depending on the consistency you’re looking for.

Very important to taste for additional seasoning at this point: salt & pepper, cumin for more “Mexican” flavor, lime for more citrus/acid flavor, chopped pepper for more spice, etc.

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The idea for these tacos came from this incredible dish that Nobu serves with tuna sashimi and thinly sliced jalapenos.  The tuna should be very high quality and seared just a bit to keep the inside raw.

• 1 sashimi-grade tuna steak, cut 1 inch thick
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 hot sauce
• 2 T honey
• 1 cup mayo
• 2-4 chipotle peppers
• 1 small head of chicory, very roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
• 2 avocados, thinly sliced
• 2 T olive oil
• 2 T champagne vinegar
• 6 corn tortillas
• pickled jalepenos to garnish
• 1 cup Lamb Chopper cheese, thinly sliced (Sheep’s milk, Cypress Grove Chèvre, Caliornia)

Cut tuna into 1″ x 1″ strips.  Mix with soy sauce, hot sauce, and honey and marinade for a few hours.

Blend 2-4 chipotle peppers with the mayo.

Toss the chicory, cilantro, avocados, oil and vinegar in a small bowl.

Grill the tuna strips over high heat just until the outside is seared.

To finish, warm the tortillas on the grill or in the oven, spread a thin layer of chipotle mayo on the tortillas and add chicory avocado salad, cheese, tuna and pickled jalapenos.

By slicing the peppers very thinly with a mandolin, they are able to pickle much faster.

• 4-5 large jalapenos, sliced very thin
• 2 cups vinegar — apple cider or champagne both work well
• 1 teaspoons whole black peppercorns
• 2 large bay leaves
• 2 tablespoons sea salt
• 6 medium garlic cloves, peeled and lightly crushed

Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan over high heat and bring to a boil.  Cook for about 10 minutes until peppers start to soften.

Remove from heat and allow to steep for 20-30 minutes.  Remove bay leaves.

Place mixture in an airtight container and refrigerate for at least a couple days.