Classically used for Cochinita Pibil (page 351), this gorgeous, bright red paste can be smeared on any meat you’re about to roast or grill. Its color belies its flavor, which is not at all hot (though you can throw a chile in there if you like). Annatto—or achiote—is something you’ve probably encountered unknowingly, since it colors processed cheeses, margarine, and lipstick. The triangular, brick-colored seeds of the annatto tree have been especially important in the Yucatán peninsula and South and Central America for centuries; make sure the seeds you buy are bright red, smell earthy or musky, and taste slightly peppery. Whole seeds keep for a year or more in a tightly covered container.

　　

Ingredients

makes about 1/2 cup

　　1/2 cup annatto seeds

　　2 tablespoons white or cider vinegar

　　1 teaspoon black peppercorns

　　1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano leaves or dried Mexican oregano

　　1 teaspoon cumin seeds

　　1/3 cinnamon stick

　　1 teaspoon coriander seeds

　　1 teaspoon salt

　　8 garlic cloves, peeled

　　

Step 1

Combine the annatto, vinegar, and 2 tablespoons water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Do not boil; turn off the heat when steam rises from the mixture. Let stand for about 2 hours.

　　

Step 2

Meanwhile, combine the peppercorns, oregano, cumin, cinnamon, and coriander in a small skillet and turn the heat to medium. Toast, shaking the pan occasionally, until the mixture is fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes. Turn off the heat.

　　

Step 3

When the annatto has soaked, combine it with its liquid, the toasted spices, the salt, and the garlic in a food processor. Pulse the machine on and off, scraping down the sides as necessary, until the mixture is pasty (add a little more water if necessary). Use immediately or cover and refrigerate for up to several days.

　　The Best Recipes in the World by Mark Bittman. © 2005 by Mark Bittman. Published by Broadway Books. All Rights Reserved.MARK BITTMAN is the author of the blockbuster The Best Recipes in the World (Broadway, 2005) and the classic bestseller How to Cook Everything, which has sold more than one million copies. He is also the coauthor, with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, of Simple to Spectacular and Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef. Mr. Bittman is a prolific writer, makes frequent appearances on radio and television, and is the host of The Best Recipes in the World, a 13-part series on public television. He lives in New York and Connecticut.