Mojo Picon - Canarian Red Pepper Sauce

Mojo Picon - Canarian Red Pepper Sauce Recipe

We're off to the Canary Islands together, my friends, to experience a wonderful sauce that you need to add to your collection. It's called Mojo Picón, and I think you're going to love it.

What is Mojo Picón?

Mojo Picon is a spicy red pepper sauce from the Canary Islands made with hot local peppers, olive oil, vinegar, garlic and seasonings, thickened with bread.

It is a staple of Canarian cuisine, usually served with appetizers and small plates like the famous Papas Arrugadas, or "wrinkly potatoes".

The Canary Islands, or the "Canaries" as known more locally, are a Spanish archipelago off the coast of Morocco.

"Mojo" is a generic term for sauce, and there are several of them, including Mojo Rojo (red sauce), Mojo Verde (green sauce) and Mojo Picon, which is a hot version of mojo rojo.

The sauce is very similar to a Spanish romesco sauce, which uses fresh roasted bell peppers along with tomatoes, bread as a thickener, and almonds.

A spicy food lover named Michael from that area alerted me to these wonderful Canarian sauces and even sent me his favorite local brands as well as some dried local "Pimiento Palmera" peppers (along with a Carolina Reaper from his garden - thanks, Michael!), which are used traditionally to make mojo picon, which I am sharing with you today.

It's insanely delicious and perfect with potatoes and other vegetables, though you can enjoy it as a dip or topping for grilled foods.

Let's discuss how to make mojo picon, shall we?

Mojo Picon Ingredients

• Peppers. 2-3 medium dried red peppers - 2 ounces/57 grams by weight - I used dried pimiento palmera peppers & chiles de arbol. Pimiento Palmera peppers are more traditional for this, but will be difficult to find outside of the Canary Islands. Use chile de arbol or a mixture of chile de arbol with dried California peppers or New Mexican peppers as a substitute.
• Garlic. I used 4 cloves garlic, though you can use less or more to your personal taste.
• Bread. Use 1 slice of stale or lightly toasted bread. This will thicken up the sauce for you. You can also use bread crumbs.
• Seasonings. 2 teaspoons paprika, 1/2 teaspoon cumin and 1 teaspoon salt. You can use other ingredients, like fresh or dried herbs, to your preference.
• Vinegar. 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar, though you can use other vinegars if needed.
• Olive Oil. I used 1/4 cup olive oil, but you can use more if you'd like, up to 1/2 cup.
• Water. 1/4 to 1/2 cup water (for thinning) the sauce to your preference.

How to Make Mojo Picon - the Recipe Method

Once the peppers are rehydrated, the recipe is super easy to make. Everything gets done in the food processor. Let's get cooking!

Rehydrate the Dried Peppers. Remove the stems and seeds from the dried peppers. Set them into a bowl and cover them with very hot water. Allow to rehydrate for 15-20 minutes, or until they are very soft. Drain the water and set the peppers into a food processor

Add Remaining Ingredients. Add the garlic, torn bread, paprika, cumin, vinegar and salt to taste. 

Process. Process the mixture until well combined.

Add the Oil. Pour in the olive oil a bit at a time while processing until the mojo sauce thickens up to a chili paste.

Thin with Water. Add 1/4 water and process until smooth. For a thinner sauce, add another 1/4 cup water and process to your preference.

Taste and Adjust. Adjust for salt and vinegar, and serve.

Boom! Done! You have just made Mojo Picon! Delicious, isn't it? And quite easy to use. If you've ever had a Spanish romesco, you'll notice some similarities, though this sauce is a great standout.

About the Pimiento Palmera (Palmera Peppers)

Palmera Peppers, Pimienta Palmera,  are from the island La Palma in the Canary Islands archipelago. The pods are popular for many Canarian dishes and known for their flavor and heat factor. The pods measure 40,000 to 50,000 Scoville Heat Units on the Scoville Scale, which puts them on par with a serrano pepper, or 8-10 times hotter than an average jalapeno pepper.

Storage

Store your mojo picon in the refrigerator in a sealed container, where it will last 1 week or longer. You can also freeze it for up to 6 months.

Try Some of My Other Popular Recipes

• Spanish Romesco Sauce
• Bravas Sauce (Salsa Brava)
• Red Chimichurri (Chimichurri Rojo)
• Chermoula
• Homemade Harissa
• Sweet Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
• Sambal Oelek
• Peri Peri Sauce
• Ajvar
• Muhammara
• Zacusca: Romanian Roasted Eggplant & Red Pepper Sauce