Annatto (Achiote) Sauce

Annatto—the seed of the achiote tree—is often used as a natural food coloring, but it can also impart flavor: a little spicy like pepper, yet a little nutty, too. This sauce is made in Mexico with plenty of annatto blended with orange juice, apple cider vinegar, and olive oil, then seasoned with garlic, oregano, bay leaf, pepper, and allspice. It's complex, and super bright with a tangy citrus punch.

This is the classic sauce for cochinita pibil, the tangy slow roasted pork from the Yucatán peninsula, traditionally eaten alongside corn tortillas, pickled red onions, and refried black beans. At home, cook pork, chicken, or fish in a pan til it’s nearly done, then add the sauce and simmer for ten to fifteen minutes for the quickest, tastiest dinner you’ll eat all week.