By A hundred weeks of writing this blog. I didn't realize it until I was about to post this and checked the number. One hundred weeks. Two years of Medina kitchen dispatches from Denver, Colorado, written by a man who coaches football and cooks New Mexican food and has had, over these two years, one of the harder years of his life and also a life that remains, on balance, a good one.
I went back and read some of the early posts this week. Week three was about posole in a snowstorm. Week twelve was about the first football season. Week twenty-two was a whole post about roasting green chiles on the backyard grill when I ran out of the ones from Las Cruces. They're not great writing. They're honest writing, which I think is more important. The blog is a record of who I've been for these hundred weeks. I'll keep the record.
Made a celebratory dinner for the hundred weeks: green chile cheeseburgers, the standard, the reliable, the thing I make when I want something exactly right. I used the last of the Las Cruces frozen chile supply, which meant the timing was appropriate — end of the supply, end of the hundred weeks, beginning of the next hundred. Diego grilled with me, which he's been doing more of lately. He's got the heat management right and he's learning to leave things alone, which is the hardest part of grilling. You set the food down and you let the fire do what the fire does. The intervention reflex is strong and mostly counterproductive. I'm still working on it myself.
A hundred weeks. My wife. My four kids. My parents in Las Cruces. My brother in whatever comes after. My team and the work and the dog tags and the grill. This is the inventory at week one hundred. It's a good inventory. The next hundred starts now.
The green chile supply from Las Cruces is officially gone, and something had to carry that green into the next hundred weeks—so alongside the burgers, I made a batch of Mojo Verde, the Canarian green mojo sauce I’ve been leaning on whenever I want something bright and herb-driven and a little unexpected on the table. It’s got the same instinct as green chile: sharp, grassy, alive, the thing that cuts through the richness of a good burger and reminds you the meal has intention behind it. Diego spooned it on everything, which is exactly the right call. New hundred, new green.
Mojo Verde (Canarian Green Mojo Sauce)
Prep Time: 10 min | Cook Time: 0 min | Total Time: 10 min | Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, packed
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, packed
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled
- 1 medium green bell pepper, roughly chopped
- 1 small jalapeño or serrano pepper, seeded (optional, for heat)
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2–3 tablespoons water, to thin as needed
Instructions
- Combine the aromatics. Add the parsley, cilantro, garlic, green bell pepper, and jalapeño (if using) to a blender or food processor. Pulse several times until the mixture is roughly chopped and beginning to break down.
- Add the liquids and spices. Pour in the olive oil and white wine vinegar. Add the cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper. Blend on medium speed until a thick, semi-smooth sauce forms, about 30–45 seconds. Scrape down the sides as needed.
- Adjust consistency. With the blender running on low, add water one tablespoon at a time until the sauce reaches a pourable but still hearty consistency—think loose pesto, not thin vinaigrette.
- Taste and season. Taste the mojo and adjust salt, vinegar, or cumin to your preference. The sauce should be bright, garlicky, and slightly sharp from the vinegar.
- Rest before serving. Transfer to a bowl or jar and let the sauce sit at room temperature for at least 10 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld. Serve alongside grilled burgers, roasted vegetables, or grilled chicken.
- Store. Refrigerate in a sealed jar for up to 5 days. Stir or shake before each use.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 128 | Protein: 1g | Fat: 13g | Carbs: 3g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 185mg