pumpkin seed salsa pepiàn/crisp

roast squash, salsa seed crisp, lime yogurt and avocado

This is truly one of my favorite fall condiments of 2024! I feel like this salsa is a crunchy fun hybrid, taking from traditional methods of making chili crisp with the flavors of a Mexican salsa like salsa macha or pepiàn. It’s a confluence of two incredible cooking cultures (but let’s not call it fusion.)

I know this recipe involves some precise work. Yet, this recipe can be made many days in advance. In fact, I made a double batch and didn’t dress all of it with oil/honey/vinegar to retain crispness for future uses, and instead I can add the oil/vinegar/honey to the fried bits when I want to use it.

Pumpkin seeds always remind me of fall (I mean they are the insides of the most iconic fall squash - and for that reason a perfect match.) Plus, the sesame and pumpkin seed are powerhouses of nutritional benefits (oh hello magnesium.) But they truly sing toasted along with chilies, garlic and spice turning this into my autumn condiment of choice.

And yes, it may be a lot of work but I’m hard press to find something I wouldn’t put this on. Think roasted Brussels sprouts, cauliflower or really any brassica with a hit of lime. I even would like this atop sautéed greens. Obviously any winter squash (see recipe below) or sweet potato would love this as a plate mate. I can even imagine this on a plate full of tomatoes in the summer or as a condiment for roast chicken or leftover turkey. Truly any creamy soup could use a lift from this crunchy complex crisp (like red lentil, black bean or squash.) Lastly, if I didn’t give enough ideas already, I would like to put forth this topping for a shaved veg salad; think crunchy kohlrabi or jicama with some pear or apple, dressed simply with lime and a ton of salsa pepiàn crisp.

I served it the other night with roast squash, lime yogurt and avocado. I made some green rice to go along and called it done. (but not quite, because I made enough to dress a few more dishes.)

SALSA PEPIÀN/CRISP

1/2 head garlic peeled - about 1 oz of cloves

1/2 TAB cumin seeds

3/4 tsp coriander seeds

1/4 c + 2 TAB pumpkin seeds

2.5 TAB sesame seeds

1 -2 guajillo chilies

3/4 cup olive oil

kosher salt to taste and season

1 TAB honey

1 TAB distilled vinegar

digital thermometer

First prep all your ingredients for frying and then blending.

paper thinly slice garlic on a mandolin, or finely chop.

deseed chilies to your preference, the more seeds, the spicier. And cut pieces so that the chili lies flat.

Before starting, place a fine mesh strainer in a heat resistant bowl. Each element that I fry, I will dump into the fine mesh strainer with the oil. And then I will place the oil back into the pot, reheat and continue frying my items. Each component needs to be fried separately because they all take different amounts of cook time.

In a small to medium sauce pot, I used a 4 qrt all clad. Heat the oil over medium heat. The oil will only need to heat for a minute or two so watch closely. I use a thermometer to check the temperature. I put the garlic in all at once when the oil reaches 230-250. Swirl the garlic so the pieces disconnect from each other and ensure even frying. Honestly I use my thermometer to give everything a swirl, and this way I can check my temperature. I keep the heat on medium to help it come back up to 230-250 range. Once it hits that range, I turn the heat to as low as it will go to try to maintain the temperature. You could even take it on and off the heat to ensure this. This fried garlic took me all of 3 -5 minutes. Once it turns opaque, like white (versus an undercooked translucent) and is JUST starting to get color look for a very pale golden. I swirl to ensure all pieces are as uniform in color and I remove quickly by dumping the contents of the pot into the strainer bowl set up. The garlic will continue to turn a few degrees darker, so pulling it out before it reaches a golden color is essential to successful frying and not acquiring any bitterness. Frying garlic is honestly the hardest part, too far and it will taste burnt; not far enough, it will yield limp soggy garlic. I immediately lightly salt my garlic.

I place the oil back in the pot, and turn on medium - low heat ( that 250 range is nice to keep for everything else.) Fry the sesame until golden, about 2 -3 minutes. Again remove using the set up, season lightly with salt. Fry the pumpkin seeds about 5 minutes until toasty inside - but not too dark on the outside. (I take one on a cutting board and cut it open to see if it looks a little toasty.) And yet again lightly season the seeds with salt.

The last item I fry are the chilies and spices, they take a very short amount of time. I would say a minute. They should darken slightly, have a touch of fragrance. But they may still feel a little soft when pulling them out of the oil. They will crisp as they cool. Reserve the oil to mix with the honey and vinegar so as to pour back on everything once it’s crushed.

Place the chilies, spices, sesame in a large mortar and pestle or a food processor. If using the food processor, pulse until the chilies are finely chopped. I like to add the garlic next and give it like one pulse. And then add the pumpkin seeds and give it 3-5 pulses. This slightly neurotic order helps so that the pumpkin seeds and garlic don’t break up too much. But in truth it’s ok if they do, it’s still going to be absolutely delicious. Once everything is pulsed, place in a bowl.

Mix your reserved oil, honey and vinegar and mix throughly. Add the crushed fried seeds, chilies, garlic, spices to the mix. Adjust with salt. And now you are ready to drizzle this over EVERYTHING!

In case you want to know how to make the rest of the dish I made:

Lime Yogurt:

1 clove garlic

1 lime zested (and juice to thin out yogurt if need be)

1/4- 1/2 tsp salt

1 cup yogurt

Mix yogurt, salt, lime zest ( and juice if your yogurt is very thick.) Microplane a small clove of garlic and mix.

Squash + Avocado + Cilantro

I simply roast big hunks of honey nut (a small very sweet version of butternut) in the oven with olive oil and salt at 400 until somewhat caramelized and tender - about 20 minutes. I sliced my avocado, seasoned with salt and lime juice and picked some cilantro leaves.

To plate: dollop the lime yogurt, add the squash and avocado in random piles. Drizzle the salsa and garnish with lots of cilantro.