Cinco De Mayo : The World of Real Mexican Salsas : Condiments: Whether fresh, boiled, or stir-fried, tomato-based or not, the heat and subtle flavors of salsa bring out the natural flavor of food.

In the shadow of the ancient ruins of Uxmal, the Indians once grilled red snapper and served it with an ancient pumpkin-seed salsa called sikil pak. The nutty flavor of the ground seeds, combined with roasted tomatoes, garlic and lime juice, complemented the delicate fish gloriously. Today it still recalls the ancient Indian roots of Mexican cuisine.

If the tortilla is Mexico’s staff of life, salsa takes credit for adding the spice. No Mexican meal is complete without some version of this piquant concoction. Its ebullient flavor livens up everything from grilled fish and meats to herb-laced omelets and all forms of masa delicacies.

Unfortunately, salsa’s migration north of the border has been a rough one. Most Americans associate the word only with the most basic version, the fresh, tomato-based pico de gallo or salsa Mexicana . And while one may occasionally stumble upon a decent rendition of this gutsy salsa, the majority resemble watered-down, slightly spicy catsup. To make things worse, salsa is inevitably limited to its position alongside lackluster store-bought tortilla chips.

Both in taste and purpose, true salsa reaches light-years beyond this level. The varieties that abound throughout Mexico range from a simple mixture of chopped fresh tomatoes, jalapeno peppers and onions to the more complex and sultry tomatillo con chipotle salsa, which combines the tartness of tomatillos with smoked jalapeno.

What exactly defines salsa? A salsa or “sauce” in Mexico is any condiment whose heat and subtle flavors bring out the natural flavor of food. Usually, salsas contain some combination of tomatoes, onions, garlic, tomatillos , herbs and chiles, and they are categorized by the way their ingredients are prepared: fresh, boiled or stir-fried.

Fresh salsas are simple combinations of chopped fresh ingredients, usually blended by hand in a molcajete , the three-legged mortar made from black volcanic stone or scored clay.

Guacamole is part of this category. Every Mexican region has its own version of the simple avocado-based salsa and puts it to a wide variety of uses. It’s stuffed into pickled ancho chiles or stirred in dollops into steaming bowls of chicken soup.

If a mortar is not available, one can approximate the texture of a salsa en molcajete by chopping the ingredients by hand or in a food processor, taking special care not to overblend. With either method, it’s important to first blend the garlic and salt so that their flavors will permeate the remaining ingredients.

The most common ingredient in boiled salsas is the tart green tomatillo. While this refreshing husked fruit is occasionally served fresh, it’s usually boiled with onion, garlic and chile to temper its acidity and soften its flesh.

For bracing salsa verde, fresh garlic, onion and cilantro are first blended in the molcajete and a boiled tomatillo mixture is gradually blended in. This common practice of combining cooked and fresh ingredients perks up the salsa’s flavor and adds textural contrast. The bright green color and delicate zing of salsa verde make it a perfect complement for grilled fish or fowl, as well as for quesadillas and tacos.

SALSA MEXICANA OR

PICO DE GALLO

1 1/3 pounds tomatoes, diced

1 medium onion, finely chopped

4 serrano chiles or 3 chiles de aqua, chopped

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

1 avocado, pitted and chopped

Juice of 1 lime

1 teaspoon oregano, crushed

Salt

Place tomatoes, onion, chiles, cilantro, avocado, lime juice and oregano in glass bowl. Mix well and season to taste with salt.

Serve with warm tortillas or as accent for tacos, grilled meat or roasted chicken. Makes 8 servings.

GUACAMOLE DE LA

MIXTECA

4 large avocados

Salt

1 cup minced onions

4 serrano chiles, minced

1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro

1/2 tomato, diced

1/4 cup minced onion

4 to 6 sprigs cilantro, with leaves and bit of stem

Peel and pit avocados. Mash pulp in bowl or molcajete and season to taste with salt. Add onions, chiles and cilantro. Continue mashing until guacamole is thick and lumpy.

Garnish with tomato, onion and cilantro sprigs. Serve at once, accompanied by corn tortillas or totopos (crisply fried tortilla wedges). Makes about 3 cups.

SALSA VERDE

1 quart water

12 tomatillos, husked

7 medium cloves garlic

4 to 8 serrano chiles

3 tablespoons coarsely chopped onion

Salt

3/4 cup cilantro leaves with bit of stem

1/4 cup chopped onion

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Bring water to boil in large saucepan. Add tomatillos, 4 cloves garlic, as many chiles as desired and coarsely chopped onion. Cook over medium heat 20 minutes. Remove from heat. Drain but reserve cooking water. Cool.

Meanwhile, puree remaining 3 garlic cloves in molcajete or food processor, and season to taste with salt. Add cilantro leaves and blend. Add tomatillo mixture and little cooking water, blending well.

Sauce should have slightly thick consistency. Adjust seasonings. To serve, pour green sauce into molcajete and garnish with 1/4 cup chopped onion and chopped cilantro. Makes about 2 cups.