Salsa Macha by Monica Shaw

My salsa macha is based on a Rick Bayless recipe. I've been a long time fan of Rick's since first going to his restaurant, Frontera Grill, in my hometown Chicago, where I had some of the best Mexican food of my life. I've since relied on his recipes for inspiration, especially when it comes to dried chillies. The salsa macha intrigued me; this puree of nuts, seeds, dried chillies, garlic and oil seemed more akin to pesto than salsa, and indeed, it's proved a great dip, drizzle and baste for all manners of foods: flatbread, tacos, eggs, mushrooms, fish and shellfish. It's marvellous with feta cheese, or slathered onto grilled fish. It's also nice with Middle Eastern dishes like falafel, hummus and tabbouleh. My version uses almonds and sesame seeds, along with guajillo chillies and chipotle for a bit of smoky heat. But you could easily use any combination of nuts and chillies you wish - anchos for a fruity edge or piquíns for something hotter. Either way, it seems to be one of those foods that's good with everything.