Achiote Paste..
Hi there, I just returned from Mexico and picked up some achiote condiment and really don't know what to do with it! How do I make a paste to marinate chicken or pork? does anyone have any recipes that they would like to share? Thanks so much.
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heredia76
Nov 11, 2008 03:18 PM
Achiote is really easy to work with, just combine it with lime juice, garlic or vineagar for a nice marinade. Beer works great also. The marinade is great on whole fish simply grilled or roasted in banana leaves. Use it with garlic, cilantro and chicken stock for yellow rice, or with garlic, tomatoes and chiles for red sauce. Infuse it over heat with a good olive oil and strain it for a beautiful and delicious compound oil. Just mix it slowly at first with a small amount of liquid, kinda like wasabi and soy, to avoid lumps.
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re: heredia76
tracylee
Nov 11, 2008 07:03 PM
Does the oil infusion apply to achiote paste as it does to whole achiote seeds?
When I lived in Ecuador, achiote oil was a staple in rice dishes, it was heated in tuna cans on the burner, and everyone on town knew when you'd scorched your achiote.
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re: tracylee
paulj
Nov 11, 2008 07:28 PM
The oil usually made by frying the seeds in the oil till it is colored, and then straining them out.
I suspect the OP bought a small block of ground achiote, possibly mixed with other spices. I've seen it in stores in the USA. In Mexican cooking the main area that uses achiote in quantities where it contributes flavor as well as color is in the south, especially Yucatan. Cochinite pibil is a slow cooked pork dish with generous amounts of achiote (also called annato).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cochinit...For coloring rice, little Goya packets of seasoning also work well.
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