I remember Ernesto, a workman on the ranch where I grew up, making adobes early one summer with boys he brought in from town to help. They would make the mixture with dark mud from the arroyo, adding water to make it more liquid and removing big rocks from the mixture by hand. They left pebbles in to strengthen the adobes. They mixed in some dry hay, golden sticks in the black mud. They poured the mixture into wooden frames that each molded four adobes. Then the adobes baked in the hot sun until the rainy season.
When people ask me to describe the flavor of achiote, because of my own associations I always say it tastes like dirt. Mind you, I love that earth flavor. I remember as a child breaking off pieces of adobe from the cowboys’ homes on our ranch and sucking contentedly on them!
But let me reassure you. Achiote definitely does not taste like adobe! The flavor of achiote is earthy, distinctive and strong. It is widely used for flavor and color in the cooking of tropical and central Mexico as well as in Central and South American cooking.
Achiote paste is made by grinding the red, hard seeds of the annatto tree with spices. There are market stands where they only sell moles, adobos and recados. The different colored mounds are a sight to see. There are greens for pepians and mole verde, black for mole negro, brown for mole poblano and recados such as the escabeche oriental of Yucatan and the orange-red of the achiote paste. Achiote paste is also available commercially in 4 ounce bars in supermarkets in Mexico and Latin American markets in large cities in the U.S. and through mail order.
If you are unable to find achiote paste ready-made, you can make your own. The seeds are sold in bulk and jars in spice stores and markets. Cover the seeds with water and boil for five minutes. Let them soak overnight in the cooking liquid and then puree with garlic, cumin, and oregano if desired. I often drain the cooking liquid and substitute orange juice.
Yucatan Marinade (Adobo Yucateco)
Ingredients
- 3 ancho chiles tops removed, seeded and deveined, if desired
- 1 2- ounce piece of achiote paste
- 2 cloves garlic
- ½ cup fresh orange juice
- 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
- Salt to taste optional
- ¼ cup vinegar
- 8 4-ounce country-style pork ribs or 4 8-ounce thick pork chops
Instructions
- Wash the ancho chiles and, while still wet, place on a hot griddle or thick hot frying pan. Heat until the aroma is released, about 2 minutes on each side. Do not allow the chiles to burn as this will turn the entire dish bitter.
- When the ancho chiles are ready, place in a small saucepan and add boiling water to cover. Let rest for 10 minutes or until the chiles are soft.
- Place the chiles, achiote paste, garlic, orange juice, oregano, and salt if desired in the container of the blender. Process for one minute and push down the sides with a rubber spatula and add the vinegar. Process again until smooth. Put through a sieve.
- Rub the ribs or pork chops with the marinade and let rest for 4 hours or overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Bake the ribs or pork chops until desired degree of doneness is achieved.
