Salsa recommendation?

[Chocolate Rose]

I'd love to make a fabulous salsa to go with chips for the 4th. But, I've never made one and am not a real big fan of salsas. :D I'm a real whimp when it comes to heat.:D But, most of the people who will be here do love salsas. I did a search through my recipes and most of the salsa recipes I have are fruit salsas that accompany a meat dish.

So, does anyone have a really knock-your-socks-off-incredible salsa recipe??

Also, how far in advance can I make a salsa or does it need to be a last minute thing?

[granolagirl]

Unfortunately, I don't have a recipe, I just sort of wing it. So, here's what goes in mine:

Roma tomatoes
Red onion
Jalapenos
Lime juice
Cilantro
A dash of salt

Basically, I chop up about 4 roma tomatoes, 1/2 a red onion, and depending on the heat of the jalapenos, about 1 or 2 jalapenos. A good squeeze of lime juice, some cilantro and a dash of salt. Let it sit in the fridge for at least a few hours or overnight and wala! :)

I will try and find some actual *recipes* for you, though! :)

[Mimeea]

I've tried out a few salsa's, but this one seems to have hit the bullseye for me. You can add more or less jalepeno depending on how hot you want it.

Avocado-Tomato Salsa

2 c chopped tomato
1 c chopped onion
1/3 c loosely packed, minced cilantro
1 jalapeno, seeds removed, minced (or to taste)
dash of red ground pepper
1 avocado, chopped
2 teaspoons lemon juice
11/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

Combine first 5 ingredients, mix. Combine avocado and lemon juice, toss. Combine with tomato mixture. Pour vinegar over salsa, sprinkle with salt and pepper, to taste.


I know this came out of CL, but I'm not sure what issue, and I have modified it a bit. Enjoy.

[EmilyK]

The salsa that accompanied the Guadalajara burger was a huge hit at a party we had. I think it may be the original recipe that Mimeea had:

Tequila Spiked Salsa

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 9 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
2 cups chopped seeded tomato
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/3 cup chopped peeled avocado
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons tequila
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 cloves garlic -- minced

Combine all ingredients in a bowl, tossing gently. Yield: 3 cups (serving size: 1/3 cup).

Yield:
"3 cups"

[granolagirl]

OK, I found a few recipes:

Rotel Salsa
2 cans rotel tomatoes with chiles
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 tbl lime juice
2 tsp sugar
Fresh cilantro

Drain the rotel and put in a blender. Pulse until chopped to your liking. Mix in all other ingredients and chill over night.

If you like it hotter, add a chopped jalapeno to it as well.


Corn and Bean Salsa

You can play with the amount of corn/beans/tomatoes ...

1 can black beans, drained
2 cans corn, drained
1 cup tomato, peeled/seeded/diced
1 4 oz. can green chiles, chopped
1-2 cloves garlic (to taste), diced or pressed
1-2 jalapenos (to taste), seeded/chopped
Juice of one lime
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
Bunch of cilantro (to taste, again!), chopped fine
Salt & Pepper to taste

Combine the ingredients and chill for one hour before serving.

[jjsooner73]

My salsa is basically granolagirl posted, with a couple of modifications.
I use whatever onion I have on hand-red, yellow, white, and modify the amount based on what kind.

I usually use about 1/4 cup onion, as I don't like the onion to overpower.
about 12 roma tomatos
5-8 tomatillos (optional)
2 stalks of celery--but only if you have a way to chop it very very FINELY. Funny, noone can tell celery is in it, but when I leave it out I miss it. Never would have thought of that on my own-my aunt makes hers that way.
1 clove garlic, minced
cilantro--I use a big handful
peppers--you can add them last. Divide the everything else into 2, and then add the peppers to make a mild batch and a hot batch. If making for my dad and I (we both like heat), I'll use 3-4 jalapenos. Maybe serranos instead if I have them, and sometimes a habanero. If it's to bring to work, I only use 1 or 2 jalapenos.
Juice of 1 lime
salt to taste

This makes a pretty big batch--suitable for a crowd.

[Gracie]

This is absolutely a knock-your-socks-off salsa. It's from Gourmet in September of 2000. I first saw it while in a doctor's office and have made it faithfully every summer since. The blackened, roasted tomatoes and onions are to die for! It's not that spicy as written, but you could add to the heat if you like.

Salsa Ranchera (http://www.epicurious.com/run/recipe/view?id=103852&action=filtersearch&filter=recipe-filter.hts&collection=Recipes&ResultTemplate=recipe-results.hts&queryType=and&keyword=salsa+ranchera)

Loren

[BarbaraL]

Whoops! When I opened this thread, I thought you wanted recommendations for a brand of salsa that comes in a jar! Guess I should have remembered where I was. I love salsa, but have yet to make my own. I usually make killer entrees and side dishes, but rarely get around to making homemade appetizers. You guys are AWESOME!

[akairo]

1 cup Herdez Salsa (in the Mexican food isle)
1-3 Thai chili peppers (or sub 1-2 jalpapeno)
1 jalapeno

Put in a blender and blend smooth.

This is a very spicy salsa that is a staple in my sister's, brother's, mother's, and my home. Using two peppers creates more depth than just jalapenos alone. We are also used to very spicy Mxican food having grown up in an area close to the border and highly populated with great Mexican food.

Tamara

[Beth H]

I found this recipe here on the boards -it's easy and tastes like good restaurant salsa:

1 can Mexican stewed tomatoes, undrained
1 can Rotel, drained
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1 bunch cilantro, chopped

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend. Then chill.

[SandyM]

Here's my absolute favorite. I've stopped trying any others/looking for any others. ;) It's a CL recipe. My notes are added.

Salsa Roja

This traditional salsa is great paired with grilled chicken and seafood, and of course, tortilla chips.

2 cups diced fresh plum tomatoes
1 & 1/2 cups diced red bell pepper
1 & 1/3 cups chopped onion
2 large fresh jalapeno peppers, seeded and diced
1 (14.5 oz) can plum tomatoes, undrained and chopped
6 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
2 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh oregano
2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1 (5.5 oz) can no-salt-added vegetable juice

Toss it all together and enjoy.

My Notes

1) The obvious - please be very careful seeding and dicing the jalapeno peppers.

2) I do not add the can of plum tomatoes (or the juice it comes in). The point of this, for me, is the freshness. Why toss in a canned ingredient, if fresh is readily available? My own personal preference, of course.

3) I do not add the lime juice or vegetable juice. I suppose the lime juice would add a nice zing to it, but a) I usually don't have limes handy; and 2) I like a chunky salsa without worrying about juice dripping down my chin. This is best after it sits for a few hours (or even a day), and the veggies meld together (along with the balsamic vinegar) and provide enough liquid. Again, this is my own personal preference.

4) I am quite liberal with the measurements. I may toss in extra tomatoes, usually toss in additional jalapeno pepper, or even hungarian wax peppers (or whatever is available). I also am free and easy with the onion and garlic.

I make double batches (God bless my Cuisinart) and it's always a big hit - even in the winter.

[TamiKnight]

This is the one all of the women in the family make. We all claim to make it the same way, but it always tastes different, depending on who makes it. Lately, I've started leaving out the Anaheim chile and using extra yellow jalapenos. Also, you can vary the amount of peppers, or include ribs and seeds, to vary the heat.


* Exported from MasterCook *

Salsa

Recipe By :Tami
Serving Size : 15 Preparation Time :0:30
Categories : Appetizers Mexican


Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
2 cans diced tomato -- undrained (large cans)
3 jalapeno
1 Anaheim chili pepper
3 yellow jalapeno pepper
1 serrano pepper
1 bunch cilantro
3 bunches green onion

Combine all ingredients except tomatoes in food processor. Pulse until finely chopped. Add tomatoes and pulse 4 or 5 times. Add salt and pepper to taste.

[Chocolate Rose]

WOW!! What great looking recipes!! Thanks, everyone!!

Now I'm wondering if it would be OK to make a couple of different salsas for one party. How many do you think I could get away with??

Loren, do you have any idea if I could use less oil in your Salsa Ranchera recipe?? I've never roasted tomatoes for something like this before so don't know if the tomatoes and onions need the oil or not.

[Gracie]

Chocolate Rose, I do use less oil. I just drizzle it on, but I drizzle more liberally than I usually do. Also when you remove the roasted tomatoes and onions, you do so with a slotted spoon and you hardly bring any oil with them into the salsa. I usually hold the tomatoes and onions against the side of the pan to drain them even further.

Loren

[Chocolate Rose]

Thanks, Loren!!

[jefoster]

Hot Salsa


1 Onion
1 Jalapeno (using bottled sliced Jalapenos is easier)
½ cup of chopped cilantro
2 Green onions
2 cloves of Garlic
½ Cup of vegetable oil
1 32 oz Can of Crushed Tomatoes
1 14 oz can of Chopped Tomatoes
1 Tablespoon of salt (Kosher make more flavor)
1 Tablespoon of sugar
1 Pinch of oregano
1 teaspoon of Garlic Pepper
1 teaspoon of chili powder
2 Tablespoons of cooking oil

1 Cut jalapeno in half and remove seeds, the cut each half in two. If using bottled jalapenos approximate 1 Jalapeno. Next peel outer skin of onion, and cut in four quarters then cut each quarter in half. Cut green onions into 1-inch pieces. Next chop onion and jalapeno in food processor or by hand.

2 Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in skillet over medium heat, add chopped onions, jalapeno and garlic and cook to golden brown, approximately 5 minutes.

3 Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil, reduce and simmer for 30 minutes. Cool before serving


This is a fairly mild sauce, to increase the heat add more jalapenos or pepper. However, the sauce will get a little hotter the longer it sets. Remember you cannot take out seasoning so go mild first you can always add a little pepper at the end if you want it hotter. Salsa will keep in the refrigerator for a week or you can freeze.

[mbrogier]

Mimeea--I tried your avocado-tomato salsa. It was absolutely awesome! I made it to go with homemade chicken fajitas last night. The leftovers tonight were unreal! You would have thought that DH and I hadn't eaten in a year when we ate it as a snack. :D Thank you for sharing.

I made it really chunky because that's how I like mine.

[Mimeea]

mbroiger- chicken fajitas are making me hungry:p So glad you liked it. This salsa is all my family asks for anymore for Mexican dishes and parties!

[rockydog]

my two cents.

I love salsa but don't always have fresh tomatoes on hand. I always keep a can of diced tomatoes in the refrigerator. If I ever need salsa quick, I open my can of tomatoes and blend them with my hand blender. To them I add chopped onion (red, white, or both), cilantro, jalapenos, garlic, salt, pepper, lemon juice and a dash of black pepper. The nice thing about keeping the tomatoes in the fridge is the salsa is always chilled.

beverlee