“I really enjoy this recipe, salsa macha is one of my favorite sauces to make. I know the salsa hails from Mexico but when I toast the chiles, seeds and nuts the smell reminds me of all the wonderful flavors of living in Texas for over 20 years. Here is my take on the classic for a restaurant ready appetizer.” - Chef Tim Byres
Ingredients:
1 bag Southern Recipe Small Batch Pork Rind Pellets Ready to Fry
2 qt Frying oil
Salsa Macha:
2 each Guajillo’s Chiles, dry
2 each Ancho Chiles, dry
2 each Pasilla Chiles, dry
1⁄2 cup Pumpkin seeds
1⁄4 cup Peanuts
4 cloves Minced garlic
1 Tbsp. Sesame seeds
1 cup Olive oil
1 Tbsp. Sesame oil
1 tsp. Apple cider vinegar
1 each Lemon
1⁄2 tsp. Dried Mexican oregano
1 tsp. Salt
4 Tbsp. Dark brown sugar
Whipped Ricotta:
2 cups Ricotta Cheese
2 each Lemons
1 tsp. Salt
1 drizzle Honey
2 Tbsp. Minced chives or green onions
Directions:
First, we are going to want to start with our Salsa Matcha. Take the chiles listed above and
using a fork slide it down the side of each of the chiles and remove the seeds and stems from
each of the chiles. Next you will want to take a cast iron pan and place it on high heat and toast
the chiles four roughly a minute, not burned just smokey. This process is my favorite it will
make your kitchen smell amazing. Once the chiles are nicely toasted set aside and bring the
pans to medium high heat and add nuts and seeds to the dry hot pan to toast. The sesame
seeds will darken first, add the oil to the pan then add the garlic and oregano. Crumble in the
toasted chiles, stirring carefully until the garlic is golden brown and everything smells
wonderful. Next you will place all the ingredients for the salsa matcha into a food processor and
pulse until everything is smooth and nicely chopped up. Season the salsa with brown sugar,
lemon juice and salt. Set aside for later.
Next, we move on to the Whipped Ricotta. You will want to pull out your stand mixer and place
the ricotta, the juice of 2 lemons, and 1 tablespoon of salt, using the whisk attachment and
whip on high speed until the ricotta is aerated and smooth.
Let’s fry up some rinds. As described on the packaging instructions, brig the oil up to 400
degrees. Once at the desired temperature grab a small handful of pellets and drop them into
the fryer until the rinds have fully puffed up, they should grow rapidly and be light and crispy
after frying. Remove from the oil and place into a large mixing bowl. In the mixing bowl drizzle,
a small amount of mustard oil onto the pork rinds and toss in the BBQ Pork Spice until they are
fully covered.
Now, it is time to plate. Place the whipped and seasoned Ricotta into a medium sized serving
bowl then cover with 2 spoonfuls of salsa matcha and then garnish with honey, minced chives
or scallions. Next place your dip onto a large serving platter and surround with your favorite
flavor of Southern Recipe Small Batch Pork Rinds. This is an excellent bar snack or a great
appetizer for your next social gathering. If cheese is not your thing, pork rinds and Salsa Macha
alone are awesome.