What is it?

Brick red and triangular, annatto seeds (also called achiote) are a common spice in Mexican cooking, especially in the Yucatan, where they’re toasted and ground into flavorful pastes. The seeds impart an earthy flavor and an orange-yellow hue. (In the U.S., they’re used commercially to color foods like Cheddar cheese and margarine.)

How to store:

Like other spices, annatto should be stored in a cool, dark place in an airtight container, where it will last for years, though its flavor may dissipate over time.

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Recipes

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  Recipe

  Nuevo Latino Shrimp and Grits

  A garlicky chipotle-spiked marinade for the shrimp and a verdant tomatillo and cilantro salsa give this dish some Latin flair. You’ll make more salsa than you need, but that’s good…

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  Recipe

  Spicy Grilled Pork Loin with Peach Salsa

  Annatto seeds (also known as achiote), which Chef Lamas uses in his spice rub, are an integral part of Latin American cooking, for their earthy, slightly peppery flavor and their…

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  Recipe

  Yucatecan Grilled Fish Tacos

  These bright, spicy tacos get their authentic flavor from a mixture of orange and lime juices (to replicate the bitter oranges grown in the Yucatán) and herbs and spices like…