The Tomatoes of the Arroyo Las Cachinches

The walking path just north of Colonia Guadalupe—where many of us walk our dogs, jog, and enjoy the rhythms of the day—runs along both sides of the Arroyo Las Cachinches. The word cachinches is apparently Mexican slang, the meaning of which I’ve been unable to pin down. DeepL translates it as “jokes,” but it may be closer to “laughing,” which is how the arroyo—turned rushing river—sounds during the rainy season.

Arroyo Las Cachinches is part of a vast seasonal watershed that carries water from the hills above San Miguel de Allende, part of the southernmost reaches of the Sierra de Guanajuato, down to the Presa Allende, the Río Laja, and ultimately the Río Lerma. The arroyo is an interesting ecosystem in both the rainy and dry seasons. I walk along it every day and love watching the seasonal changes.

You’ve probably noticed the abundance of wild tomatoes growing along the arroyo and in patches beside the walking path. This year, they seem to have spread quite a bit, and it finally dawned on me that the birds have likely had something to do with that.

These small tomatoes appear to be a wild currant type, Solanum pimpinellifolium, a close relative—and likely ancestor—of modern cultivated tomatoes. The plants thrive in disturbed soils and warm climates, often reseeding themselves year after year. Though the fruits are tiny, their flavor can be surprisingly intense.

I brought home a bowlful and made pasta sauce. At first, the sauce was a little bitter, as wild things sometimes are. A little salt, a touch of sugar, a knob of butter, and a splash of balsamic vinegar transformed the sauce into something wonderful—bright, complex, and full of flavor.

Now, when I see those little tomatoes along the arroyo, I think of them as part of the landscape’s quiet generosity. This simple sauce is a way of bringing that place to the table. I admit it’s a bit labor-intensive to gather them and to remove the stems, but the flavor makes it worth it.

Next, I plan to make a Mexican-style salsa with the Arroyo Las Cachinches currant tomatoes. Stay tuned.

****************************************************************************

From Frances’ Kitchen

Arroyo Las Cachinches Pasta Sauce

A rustic tomato sauce made from wild arroyo tomatoes

Ready in 20 minutes

Serves 2-3 people

Per Serving (3 servings)

Calories: 440 kcal

 Carbohydrates: 67 g

 Protein: 12 g

 Fat: 14 g

 Fiber: 5.6 g

Ingredients

4 cups tiny wild cherry tomatoes (about one bowl)

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

½ teaspoon salt (plus more to taste)

1 teaspoon sugar (adjust to taste)

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon butter

Freshly ground black pepper

A handful of fresh basil (optional)

1-200g bag of pasta elbows (coda 2)

Parmesan cheese for serving

Optional: one small box (210 g) of La Costeña tomato puree, to bring all of the flavors together. 

Method

1. Cook the pasta and set it aside.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, then cook the spaghetti according to the package directions. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water before draining. (Because of our high altitude here in SMA, I use an Instant Pot for the pasta at high pressure for 2 minutes, then quick-release.)

2. Prepare the tomatoes by removing the stems and rinsing them thoroughly.

3. Cook the garlic in the olive oil until fragrant, about a minute.

4. Add the tomatoes whole and blister them in the olive oil over medium heat, cooking until they begin to burst and collapse, about 5–7 minutes. Stir occasionally.

5. Stir in salt, sugar, and balsamic vinegar. Cook another 2–3 minutes so the tomatoes soften and the balsamic slightly reduces.

6. Add the butter and stir until it melts and emulsifies into the sauce.

7. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt, sugar, or vinegar if needed.

8. Add the sauce to the cooked pasta. Pour in a splash of the reserved pasta water and toss until the sauce coats the pasta.

9. Finish with freshly ground pepper, basil (if using), and grated Parmesan cheese.

Cook’s Notes

Wild tomatoes can be more acidic or slightly bitter than cultivated ones. The balance of salt, sugar, butter, and balsamic vinegar creates a complex, rounded flavor.