Updated March 1, 2022
After swooning over a spicy, beet based salsa at the new Venezuelan restaurant in town, I knew I had to make my own version. Sweet and earthy beets pair perfectly with spicy aji peppers. Cilantro and garlic add depth and flavor to this tasty sauce. Salt helps to preserve it by promoting a beneficial environment for lactobacillus, the same bacteria that turns cabbage into sauerkraut.
This lacto-fermented condiment has quickly become my new obession. I love spooning a bit over fried eggs or stirring some into soup or pasta sauce. It would be delightful on nachos, pizzas, and burgers too. Mix it into homemade mayonnaise and you have a tasty dip for fresh veggies or fries or a spread for slathering onto wraps and sandwiches. The possibilities go on.
If you live in the United States (or parts of Canada), there’s a good chance that you are all too familiar with the effects of a run in with poison ivy, oak, or sumac. These plants contain an oil called urushiol (you-ROO-shee-all) that causes an itchy, blistering rash when it comes in contact with the skin. This rash often goes away within a few weeks, but can cause a lot of misery in the meantime.
mama libélula 