Aguachile Oaxaqueño de Champiñones con Chile de Agua
Aguachile Oaxaqueño de Champiñones·(ah-gwah-CHEE-leh wa-ha-KEH-nyo)
La Base de Todo (Salsas, Beans, and Foundations)
This isn't a delicate coastal project demanding pristine catch before plugging in a standard countertop blender; in northern Mexico, aguachile is raw and fiercely green, but this adaptation uses earthy cremini mushrooms to soak up a deeply blistered, smoldering salsa of charred tomatoes and chiles. Since the endemic chile de agua is nearly impossible to find up north, an Anaheim pepper spiked with a serrano flawlessly replicates its sweet, fleshy bite and necessary heat. Slice the mushrooms a quarter-inch thick, wait until the acid bites, and devour a sharp, lingering campfire heat.
Ingredients
- cremini mushrooms1 lb
- fresh lime juice3/4 cup
- kosher salt1 tsp
- Anaheim pepper1 large
- serrano peppers2 med
- Roma tomatoes2 med
- white onion1/4 large
- garlic cloves2 large
- fresh cilantro1 small bunch
- olive oil1 tbsp
- English cucumber1/2 med
- red onion1/4 med
- avocado1 large
- crispy corn tostadas8 med
Method
- 01
Macerate the sliced mushrooms in lime juice and salt.
Place the mushrooms in a shallow, non-reactive glass or ceramic bowl, pour the lime juice and salt over them, and toss to coat. Let them sit at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes so the acid can soften their cellular walls and effectively cook them.
- 02
Char the vegetables in a dry skillet.
Heat a heavy cast-iron skillet or comal over medium-high heat until smoking, then add the Anaheim pepper, serranos, tomatoes, onion wedge, and unpeeled garlic directly to the dry pan. Let them sit undisturbed until dark, blackened blisters form, rotating occasionally with tongs.
- 03
Remove and peel the aromatics as they finish cooking.
Pull the garlic out after about 5 minutes before it turns bitter, then remove the chiles, tomatoes, and onion as they soften and collapse. Transfer the Anaheim pepper to a covered bowl for 5 minutes to steam, then peel its blackened skin and discard the stem and seeds, along with the garlic skins.
- 04
Crush the charred ingredients into a rustic salsa.
If you have a molcajete, use it to grind the garlic, salt, serranos, Anaheim, cilantro, tomatoes, and onion into a thick sauce, extracting the essential oils just as a grandmother would. If you're using a food processor, pulse it carefully so you retain a chunky, deeply textured base rather than a perfectly smooth puree.
- 05
Assemble the aguachile and serve immediately.
Pour the smoky salsa base directly into the bowl of macerated mushrooms and their lime juice. Gently stir in the cucumber, red onion, and olive oil, tasting for salt, then serve immediately in a wide dish garnished with avocado slices and crispy tostadas.
Notes
Leave the charred skins on the tomatoes, onion, and serranos.
That black, blistered skin is exactly where the signature smoky flavor of Oaxacan cooking lives.
Control the heat to your preference.
If cooking for young children, you can omit the serrano peppers entirely while still retaining the authentic, fleshy texture of the charred Anaheim.
From Cook Oaxacan in America.