Chiltomate Salsa (Tomato and Habanero Sauce) 

Recipe from Alex Henry

Adapted by Ali Slagle

Updated Sept. 4, 2024

Chiltomate Salsa (Tomato and Habanero Sauce) 
Mark Weinberg for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Monica Pierini.
Total Time
50 minutes
Prep Time
5 minutes
Cook Time
45 minutes
Rating
5(58)
Comments
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Smoky and fruity and with a sneaky heat, chiltomate salsa is a combination of habanero chiles and tomato popular throughout the Yucatán peninsula. While it’s made in many ways, this version, which is adapted from the chef Alex Henry, is particularly fresh. The tomatoes are cooked only by blackening their skins so their tang remains. They’re then mashed — skin, seeds and all — with charred habanero, cilantro leaves and stems into a chunky sauce. At El Molino del Sureste, Mr. Henry’s restaurant in St. Louis, it’s served over venison sausage and black beans, and at Sureste, his food hall spot, it tops steak tacos, but it’s great on all grilled meats.   —Ali Slagle

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Ingredients

Yield:About 3 cups
  • 10ripe plum tomatoes (about 2 pounds)
  • 1habanero
  • ½bunch cilantro
  • Salt
  • Lime juice, to taste
Ingredient Substitution Guide
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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat a large cast-iron skillet or griddle to high and turn on your fan, if you have one (or open some windows). Cook the tomatoes and habanero, turning every few minutes, until blackened all over and the tomatoes are soft and bursting, 10 to 15 minutes for habanero and 25 to 30 minutes for the tomatoes. Set aside on a cutting board to cool slightly. Scrape all the blackened bits from the skillet and transfer to a mortar or large bowl.

  2. Step 2

    Chop the tomatoes and transfer to the mortar or large bowl. Using gloved hands if desired, remove and discard the stem and seeds from the habanero and finely chop. Transfer half the habanero to the mortar. Finely chop all the cilantro, including the stems, and add to the mortar. Season with salt and mash into a chunky sauce. (If using a bowl, squeeze with gloved hands.) Season to taste with salt and lime juice; if tomatoes are at peak ripeness, lime juice may not be necessary. Add more habanero to taste. Salsa keeps covered and refrigerated for 5 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Ratings

5 out of 5
58 user ratings
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Comments

Mary from Mississippi

Cleanup is easier if you broil the tomatoes and habanera on a foil lined sheet pan in your oven. I add a slice of blackened white onion and a couple of garlic cloves and use the blender to achieve the right consistency.

Kent MacLean

We have been to his restaurant a few times. The food is extraordinary. Can't wait to try this!

Cheryl from New Mexico

Could you use fire roasted tomatoes as a quick sub for the plum tomatoes?

Jefe

So simple and delicious. I had the charcoal grill going so started the tomatoes there and then finished on cast iron cause the coals did stay hot long enough. Used one scotch bonnet blackened on the cast iron. May add another but allowing it to sit overnight to see how the heat develops. Did not need lime to my taste. Chopped cilantro meausred about 1/4 cup for me.

cathy h

Best salsa I have ever made. Just spectacular.

HotSamba49

Mary from Mississippi: please explain: what is "the right consistency"? ...no criticism intended, but for Tacos, in my Cali/LaLa book, every salsa needs to be hand chopped in order for it to get tongues a-dancin'. Chacha🪇💡🪗✨️🪘

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