Coming home from vacation with memories of some of the glorious food you ate extends the trip long after — at least in your mind.

Such is the case with our recent trip to Sayulita, Mexico, a quiet beach town about an hour north of the popular resort city of Puerto Vallarta. While we were there, a local personal chef cooked for us three nights. We loved Sofia Silva's cooking so much — her sauces for chicken and pork, her luscious chocolate cake flavored with chilies and her coffee-spiked flan — that we were delighted with her generosity in sharing her recipes.

Among the dishes, a toasted pumpkin seed dip, served with tortilla chips, was especially surprising — so thick and smoky and rich. (Silva explains that the dip is a Yucatan peninsula dish called sikil-pak in Mayan.) We couldn't get enough, and I knew I would make it back home.

Here, with Silva's blessing, it's thinned with broth to serve as a sauce for chicken. To make Silva's version, use ¼ cup water instead of the broth. (And if you're ever in Sayulita, contact Silva: sayulitachef.com.)

Tips: To save time, we used already toasted pumpkin seeds; but you may get deeper flavor by toasting your own, as Silva does. Heat in a heavy skillet over low heat, stirring often, until toasted, 20-25 minutes.

This recipe makes a generous amount; refrigerate and use over shrimp, swirled into soups or spread on sandwiches.