Fresh salsa... dig in!

Just in time for summer! The tomatoes are starting to ripen in the garden & what better way to use them than salsa. MMMM. (Well, maybe a Caprese salad.)

Deconstructed salsa... fresh from garthering from the garden

Here are the onions from the garden too- yellow onions this time

tomatoes

One of the things I love about this salsa is that I’ve made it so many different ways, and it’s always tasty. Just about the only requirement is that you have good tomatoes- if you don’t grow your own, buy some nice ripe ones from a farmer’s market. Or, try the heirloom varieties if your grocery store carries those. I have used regular store bought tomatoes in a pinch, but they just don’t come close to being as good.

chili peppers

The chili peppers that you use in this recipe are very flexible. Jalapenos are nice medium heat chilis- I suggest starting with Jalapenos, as they will give a good flavor without being overpowering. For Mother’s Day this year, I used Poblanos- a mild chili. I’ve made a spicy version, using two Serrano Chilis; I’ve also used Anaheim Chilis for a little less heat. I love to use a red chili pepper- it gives a great color and the flavor of a red chili is a little sweet.

onions

I like white onion in salsa, however I’ve used red and yellow onions before with good results. The white onion will give a clean, mild, and tangy flavor that compliments Mexican food.

cilantro, salt, and garlic

Cilantro can be added according to your taste- if you like lots, add more; this is just a good starting point. I taste the salsa at the end to check for salt, and I always add more. Check it with the chips that you’re going to eat it with to see if the salt is good, or if you need more. As for the garlic, it adds flavor so don’t leave it out, but you can play with the amounts as well- start with 3 and see if it works for you.

Without further introduction, here is my salsa recipe. Please enjoy!

Roasted Tomato Salsa

1 pound tomatoes
2 large fresh jalapeno peppers
3 cloves garlic, peeled
½ teaspoon (plus more to season) salt
½ small white onion, cut into quarters
¼ cup loosely packed fresh cilantro

Heat the broiler (450° if you can set the temp on your broiler), and arrange the tomatoes on a rimmed baking sheet. Broil tomatoes 4 inches from the heat until they blister, darken, and soften on one side, about 10-15 minutes; turn them over and broil the other side until blistered and darkened, about another 10 minutes.

Tomatoes blistered from roasting under the broiler

Meanwhile, heat a dry cast-iron skillet or griddle over high heat, and add the peppers and garlic. Shake the skillet occasionally until the skins are soft and charred, about 10 minutes for the peppers, and 15 minutes for the garlic.

I used an Anaheim Chili, a green Jalapeno Chili, and a Red Jalapeno chili this time. Here are the peppers and garlic in the skillet starting to balcken

Let tomatoes, garlic and peppers cool. The tomato skins will be easy to remove at this point, peel tomatoes, reserving the juices. Pull the stems off the jalapenos (and, if you want less heat remove all the seeds and membranes from inside the peppers).

Here are the cooled peppers and garlic after being skillet toasted

Place the peppers and garlic in a food processor or blender with ½ teaspoon of salt, and process until finely chopped.

Looking in the bowl of the food processor at the salt, peppers, and garlic

Add the onion and pulse a few times until you have a coarse chop. Add the tomatoes along with the reserved juices and pulse again until you have a coarse textured puree. Stir in the cilantro and pulse one or two more times.

Add 2 to 4 tablespoons water, if desired, to reach a smoother salsa. Taste and season with salt. Lime or a dash of cider vinegar could be added as well at this point, if desired.

Serve with chips as an appetizer, or with tacos fixings for a summery dinner.