Mojo picón is one of the many delicious Spanish sauces that makes Ibérico sing. Most commonly served in the Canary Islands with tiny salt-baked potatoes, mojo picón’s smoky flavors (or mojo rojo) are also the perfect accompaniment to pork.
Recipe for Basted Ibérico Denver "Presa" Steak with Red Mojo Picón
Ingredients:
- 1 Campo Grande Presa
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 8 garlic cloves, chopped
- 2 red chilis, deseeded and chopped
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 4 Tablespoons sherry vinegar
- ¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for cooking
- Salt (to taste)
- Flaky finishing salt (to taste)
Preparation:
- Toast cumin seeds in a small dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant, about 30 seconds, swirling to keep them from burning.
- Using a mortar and pestle, grind the cumin seeds into a powder. Add garlic, chili, and a pinch of salt and mash until you have a fine paste. Mash in the paprika and mix in the vinegar until well combined.
- Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while you continue to stir, mixing until you have a paste about the consistency of pesto. You can always add a few teaspoons of water if the sauce is too thick. Set the mojo picón aside
- Trim the Presa and season with salt.
- Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a medium pan and cook Presa for 5 minutes on each side. Once cooked, remove from the skillet and let rest for a few minutes before slicing.
- To serve, spoon a good dollop of mojo picón onto a plate and place the Presa on top. Garnish with a sprinkle of flaky finishing salt. ¡Buen provecho!