At any Mexican fiesta, there is bound to be salchicha salsa: a mixture of diced hot dogs, mayonnaise, and chipotle chilies. This condiment is scooped up with chips by folks young and old as an appetizer before a main course of something like chicken mole or chanfaina is served. If you are tired of the same old salsa, this is a great alternative and will certainly be a hit along with salsa verde at your next Mexican fiesta or just as a snack.
Chipotle Chilies
The main chili used in this recipe is the chipotle. You can find canned chipoltes in most grocery stores, but whole, dried chipotles are recommended if you can find them. The chipotle is a smoked jalapeña pepper originating in the Northern regions of Mexico around the time of the Aztecs. Fresh jalapeños are a bright green color, but when dried they takes on a deep reddish brown color. The heat of an chipotle is measured at about 5,000 – 10,000 Scoville units. By comparison, a fresh jalapeño is about 2,500-8,000.
If you find whole dried chipotle, you must soak them for about 15 minutes in hot water before using. If you prefer milder flavors, remove the seeds and ribs of the chili before using. For this recipe, you could also use chipotle chili powder or an chipotle chili mayonnaise.
The idea of eating "uncooked" hotdogs is not terribly appealing to many people at first. In this recipe the hotdogs have been prepared, but you can easily skip this step for a more traditional salsa. The Mexicans who have tried this version, though, believe it to be much better with the addition of a cerveza.
Salchicha Salsa
Ingredients:
8 hotdogs (higher quality hotdogs would probably be better, but in Mexico, they use any old generic brand)
1 bottle of beer (preferably Mexican brand: Sol, Negra Modela, Corona, etc.)
1 dried chipotle chili, soaked and finely chopped (substitute a Tbls. of chipotle chili powder or 3 Tbls. of canned chipotles)
1 small onion, diced fine
1 cup of mayonnaise
1 clove of garlic, diced fine
Juice of half a lime
1) Boil hotdogs in beers and enough water to cover until heated through. Drain and allow to cool.
2) In a bowl, combine mayonnaise, chili, onion, garlic, lime juice, and salt and pepper to taste. Add more chili as desired.
3) Quarter the hotdogs lengthwise and then dice. Add the diced hotdogs to the mayonnaise and mix thoroughly.
4) Garnish with a little cilantro and a wedge of lime.
