Achiote Paste

Scientists and botanists refer to a particular plant as Bixena orellana. It is a tree that is native to Central America and the Caribbean. The tree produces beautiful pinkish flowers, which eventually develop into some rather odd fruit. While the fruit is inedible, it nevertheless contains some red seeds that have a very colorful history. 

To shed some light on that history, the proper starting point is the indigenous people of the Caribbean and Mesoamerica. Those people referred to this tree as annatto (in the Caribbean) or by the Nahuatl word, achiotl. Those words give us what we commonly refer to as annatto or achiote.

The red seeds are often dubbed "saffron of Mexico." The nickname comes from the fact that these little red seeds have the ability to create pigment colors that range from yellow to a deep red.  As with saffron, one could add annatto seeds to hot water to create a reddish water that could be incorporated into dishes. However, one of the more common ways of creating color through annatto is its use in what is commonly referred to as "achiote paste." 

There appear to be two different types of achiote paste, at least according to Oaxaca al Gusto, which was written by Diane Kennedy. In areas such as Oaxaca, people prepare the paste using just the annatto seeds. By contrast, in the Yucatan, the paste is prepared with more than just annatto seeds. Recipes call for the addition of coriander, cumin, oregano, cloves, black pepper and garlic. The combination of these ingredients in the Yucatan version produces a mild, somewhat earthy paste that contributes both flavor and color to a wide range of dishes.

I was particularly interested in the Yucatan version of the paste, because I intended to use it as part of my first effort to make Cochinita Pibil, the iconic roast pork dish of that peninsula. Overall, I think the effort was a success, although it produced a paste that was slightly darker than expected. 

ACHIOTE PASTE

Recipe from The Spruce Eats

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup annatto seeds
• 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
• 2 whole cloves
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 5 cloves garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup bitter orange juice (or 1/4 cup orange juice plus 1/4 cup Mexican lime juice or 1/3 cup white vinegar)

Directions:

Grind the annatto, coriander seeds, oregano, cumin seeds, peppercorns and cloves in a spice mill or with a mortar and pestle. Place the ground spices with the salt, garlic and bitter orange juice in a blender and process until it is smooth. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

ENJOY!