Recado de Pepian Indio (Guatemalan Pepian Indio Sauce)

'Pepian Indio' is a Guatemalan sauce made with tomatoes, tomatillos, chayote and other vegetables, thickened with toasted bread, and flavored with cilantro and garlic. There are as many versions as there are cooks. Serve it with white rice.

• Preparation Time: 30 mins
• Cooking Time: 50 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 20 mins
• Calories: 319 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup fresh corn kernels
• 1 onion, peeled
• 6 tomatoes
• 8 fresh tomatillos, husks removed
• 4 sprigs fresh cilantro
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 black peppercorns
• 2 tablespoons hulled pumpkin seeds
• 1 thick slice of French baguette
• 1 chayote, cut into 8 pieces
• 4 potatoes, thickly sliced

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat; place tomatoes, tomatillos, onion, and garlic into the hot skillet and stir until vegetables are lightly charred, about 20 minutes. Remove vegetables from skillet; stir sesame and pumpkin seeds into the hot skillet, stirring until seeds are lightly toasted, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat.

Step 2

Toast baguette slice in a toaster. Place baguette slice, tomatoes, onion, garlic, sesame seeds, cilantro, salt, and black peppercorns into a blender; pulse several times to chop, then blend the mixture until smooth. Pour 3 cups chicken broth into blender and puree again.

Step 3

Strain blended sauce through a sieve and pour into a large saucepan; stir olive oil into sauce. Place over medium-high heat, bring to a boil, and cook for 3 minutes. Stir chayote, potatoes, and corn into sauce; stir in 3 cups chicken broth. Bring back to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer until chayote and potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.