Achiote Sauce Recipes

PESCADO EN ACHIOTE (MEXICAN FISH IN ANNATTO SAUCE)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Combine 3/4 cup water, achiote paste, onion, juice of 2 limes, juice of 1 orange, vinegar, garlic, 1 teaspoon oregano, salt, and pepper in a blender; blend until smooth.
• Season both sides of the fish fillets with salt and pepper, then brush the top with melted butter. Arrange fish fillets in a baking dish. Add shrimp on top and cover with achiote sauce. Cover baking dish with aluminum foil.
• Bake in the preheated oven until fish flakes easily with a fork, about 30 minutes.
• Place red onion and habanero peppers in a glass bowl. Add 1 cup water, juice of 1/2 orange, and juice of 1 lime; stir well and season with salt, peppercorns, and Mexican oregano.
• Serve fish and shrimp with achiote sauce and top with habanero sauce.

GARLIC AND ACHIOTE FERMENTED HOT SAUCE

Steps:

• Pulse garlic in a food processor until finely chopped. Add chiles, salt, and sugar and pulse until chile pieces are no bigger than 1/2". Transfer mixture to jar and press down so chiles are slightly submerged in their own liquid. Cover with cheesecloth and fasten with kitchen twine or a rubber band. Let sit in a cool place away from direct sunlight at least 2 days and up to 5 days. The liquid will develop a slightly sour smell and there should be small bubbles scattered throughout. The longer you let it ferment, the more active it will become, but don't go longer than 5 days.
• Heat oil, achiote seeds, and paprika in a small saucepan over medium-high. As soon as small bubbles appear around the edges of the pan (2-3 minutes), let cook another 30 seconds; let cool. Strain oil through a fine-mesh sieve into a heatproof bowl; discard solids.
• Blend achiote oil, vinegar, and two-thirds of chile mixture in a blender until smooth. Transfer to an airtight container and stir in remaining chile mixture.
• Do Ahead:
• Hot sauce can be made 2 weeks ahead; cover and chill.

SCALLOPS POACHED IN ACHIOTE SAUCE

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over moderate heat. saute the onions with the salt until caramelized, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and achieve paste and cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon to avoid scorching. Add the tomato paste and pour in the fish stock or clam juice and boil 5 minutes longer. Stir in the pepper and vinegar and remove from the heat.
• Transfer the sauce to a blender and puree. Pass through a strainer. The sauce keeps up to 4 days.
• To finish, pour the sauce into a large skillet. Bring to a boil over high heat. Stir in the scallops or shrimp, reduce the heat to medium and cook 3 to 5 minutes. Serve over a bed of white rice and garnish with the capers or pickled onions.

ACHIOTE CITRUS MARINADE

Steps:

• Combine 1/3 cup of the orange juice, the achiote paste, jalapenos, garlic, peppercorns and salt in a blender or food processor. Puree until the peppercorns are completely crushed. Add the cilantro and the remaining 1/3 cup orange juice and puree until smooth.

GRILLED PORK AND PINEAPPLE SKEWERS WITH ACHIOTE SAUCE

Steps:

• Put wooden skewers in a pan of water for 30 minutes, so they don't burn on the grill.
• Heat the oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the achiote seeds. Turn off the heat and let the seeds steep until the oil turns a vibrant orange-red, about 5 minutes. Strain the oil through a fine-mesh sieve into a blender: discard the seeds. Add the vinegar, garlic, aji amarillo, cumin, salt, and pepper. Cover the blender and puree until well combined.
• Place the pork in a resealable gallon-sized plastic bag. Add the achiote marinade, turn the bag to coat the pork, squeeze out the air, and seal. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to overnight.
• Preheat an outdoor grill or grill pan to medium-high (you may also preheat the oven broiler.)
• Remove the pork from the marinade; discard the marinade. Thread the pork onto the skewers alternating with the pineapple and red onions. Grill (or broil) the pork skewers until they are browned on all sides, 4 to 6 minutes total cooking time. Take care not to overcook or the pork will become tough and dry. Serve the pork skewers on a bed of lettuce leaves and garnish with lime wedges. Pull the pork off the skewers onto a lettuce leaf and eat like a taco. For a great presentation, stick the skewers into a whole pineapple and put on the table with the lettuce and lime on the side.

ACHIOTE PASTE

Steps:

• With a spice grinder, grind the annatto seeds, cumin seeds, peppercorns, allspice berries, and cloves to a fine powder.
• In a blender or food processor, mix the ground spices, habanero peppers, orange juice, vinegar, garlic, and salt. Blend until smooth. Mix in the lemon juice and tequila.