Guac and Salsa... It Must Be Superbowl Sunday.

Every year when on Superbowl Sunday I think of a new way to recycle my guacamole recipe, so today I’ve decided to tell you about when Dario Cecchini, the famous Tuscan butcher, came to town—and by “town,” I mean Los Angeles. “What do you do when you have a butcher over for dinner?” asked Nancy Silverton, who was hosting a party in Dario’s honor.

Me, Nancy, and Dario’s wife Kim. (Photo by Anne Fishbein.)

You invite the only other butchers you happen to know, such as Jim from Huntington Meats, seen here inspecting the goods. (Or is he simply eating?)

You invite all Italian-speakers living in the vicinity, such as Rufus, seen here with fellow Italian-speaker Gino Angelini, who is inspecting a sign, written in Italian, that Rufus wears around his neck.

(Photo by Anne Fishbein.)

And you serve meat.

For the feast, two smokin’, bbq lovin’, ass kicking chefs Chris Feldmeier (Osteria Mozza) and Erik Black (Spice Table) spent days in order to show Dario how we do it in America.

This Mexican did the only thing she knows to do in such a situation. She made guacamole.

I used a whole case of avocados. It was the biggest batch of guacamole my kitchen had ever seen!

Here it is with that requisite of any meat eating feast: loads of red wine.

The sign Rufus wore, featured in both the English and Italian languages, instructed guests not to feed him.

As you might notice, Gino made some corrections to the sign. (Photo by Anne Fishbein.)

“Thankfully,” he says. “Nobody pays attention to anything my mom says.”

“My name is Rufus. Please don’t feed me.” And other things Rufus would never say…

Although I can’t give you the recipe for that succulent sausage pictured above, I can give you recipes for what I think are the best red and green salsas you’ll ever taste–unless you go to Loteria! Grill and eat Jimmy Shaw’s chipotle salsa, which is, I hate to admit, un poquito better than mine. I’m still working on getting that one. Maybe next year. Jimmy? Are you listening or is Rufus right again?

Guac, salsa, and Joe B’s wine. Sounds like a party.

Smoky Tomato Salsa

Makes 2 cups

1 pound roma tomatoes, charred on the grill

2 yellow onions, sliced, oiled, and charred on the grill

4 garlic cloves, browned in their skins on grill

1 tablespoon plus 1 to 2 teaspoons pureed chipotle in adobo

1 teaspoon chipotle powder

2 to 3 teaspoons salt

Puree the tomatoes (including juices), onions, and garlic in a food processor. Add the chipotle puree, chipotle power, and salt and stir to combine.

Charred Green Chile Salsa

Makes 1½ cups

4 garlic cloves (skins on) browned on the grill

1 pound  husked tomatillos, charred on the grill

2 serrano chilies, charred on the grill, seeds removed

1 poblano chile, charred on the grill, peeled and seeded

1 yellow onion, sliced, oiled, and charred on the grill

A handful of fresh cilantro

Juice of 2 limes

2 to 3 tablespoons salt

Water

Remove the skins from the garlic and puree the ingredients in a food processor to coarse puree, scraping down the sides of the food processor from time to time for even pureeing. Add water if necessary to make a loose salsa consistency. Taste for seasoning and add more lime juice or salt.

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