Fresh salsa

[luv2cook]

When I did a search for salsa, it gave me 122. I don't have time to look through all of that that may or may not be related.

I want to try my hand at making fresh salsa. I am going to put it on fajitas tom. Right now I am looking for a good red salsa. I search through my recipes on CL but there were tons.

What is ya'll's fav. homemade salsa?

[Grace]

Super easy and fantastic - I grow almost all of this in my garden every year (except the limes and onions!) so I can throw this together at a moment's notice:

2 or 3 perfect red tomatoes, seeded and quartered
1 smallish onion, peeled and quartered
1 med. jalapeno, cut in half lengthwise and seeded
juice from one lime
about 1/4 to 1/3 cup fresh cilantro
1/2 to 1 tsp. kosher salt

Throw everything in the food processor (start with the 1/2 tsp. salt). Pulse in quick bursts until everythings coarsely chopped. Add more salt if necessary. Voila. Awesome Salsa.

[sneezles]

Don't have a salsa recipe but I did have a thought about the sassafras/file thread...maybe Grace could do a search through her CookPacs and see if there is a recipe using it. I've been going through the '01 Annual but so far nothing! How 'bout it Grace? Remember the Teriyaki Chicken Pizza challenge?

[luv2cook]

i went through my cookpacs, too, and only came up with gumbo...

Grace, I hate you - garden??? Lucky you. I really don't have the space for a "real" garden so I am attempting herbs in pots and bell and poblano peppers in pots. The herbs are doing okay. It's the pepper and tomatos I'm worried about.

[Grace]

Don't get too excited, my garden isn't huge or anything, I am a city dweller you know! But I do have room for a couple of nice tomato plants, as many herbs as I want, and 2 jalapeno plants (plus a few other non-salsa related plants!). Yours should do FINE in containers! Just make sure they get enough sun. And try planting a jalapeno pepper plant. They're small, don't need much care, produce all summer into the fall, and a seedling costs about a dollar at the garden center. Well worth having around.

Now, re: file....you are NOT crazy - I too, remember seeing the recipes, bought a small container at Penzey's sometime last year (it was warm outside so it had to be summer or fall), but now I can't find the recipe either! I checked my Cookware software, and nothing came up, but I don't move every single recipe from the diskettes over to my hard drive - just the ones I think I may actually make one day. So I could have missed that recipe and still have it on diskette, but to check my diskettes, I would have to go back to each one, open it up, move any recipes I missed over to the Cookware software, then do another search. If nothing came up, I would then have to delete the recipes I don't want back out of my Cookware. Kind of a pain. So I am checking my magazines (physically). I have them all in binders right here and I will go through them page by page if I have to!!

But I have a jar of file waiting to be used too, so I want to find this recipe as much as you do!! I'll keep you posted...

Oh, and do try the salsa. You'll love it.

[This message has been edited by Grace (edited 04-14-2001).]

[woodsl]

This is a salsa recipe from LEAN STAR CUISINE - a cookbook from the Lake Austin Spa Resort in Austin, Texas. I have made this countless times and everyone loves it.

Salsa Picante

1 14-oz can of tomatoes with juice (or 4 fresh)
3 T fresh cilantro, chopped
1/4 onion, coarsely chopped
2 serrano peppers, chopped (Serrano peppers are hotter than jalepenos. You should adjust according to your tolerance for heat. Leaving the seeds out will make it milder)
2 green onions, coarsely chopped
juice from 1/2 lime
1 large clove of garlic, minced
pinch of sugar
2 T. tomato puree (optional)
pinch of salt (I ususally add little more salt to taste)

Pulse all ingredients in a food processor to the desired consistency. I like the tomatoes chunky, so I only put a few in the processor (with the juice if using canned tomatoes) and blend with the rest of the ingredients. Then I add the rest of the tomatoes and blend briefly. I usually double this recipe because it goes fast. It will last in the refrigerator for a few days.

[sneezles]

Luv2Cook and Grace,
I still say it was the article about the guy who bottles sassafras! I do believe it was about this time last year that CL did an article about him but didn't have any recipes but the article was VERY convincing about file!

[luv2cook]

well, I swear it was in this year's mags because I don't have any from last year except the cookie one...grrrrrrr....but Ive started keeping my mags again because sometimes I'm just too tired to sit at the computer and look at recipes and I do a lot of reading downstairs - when I have time, that is...

GRACE, I did make your salsa. It's marinated in the fridge as we speak. In about 2 more hours, I'll check it and adjust seasoning if it needs it. thanks!

[KarenW]

I know this isn't in time for your dinner, but for future reference...I found these recipes once in a Williams-Sonoma Mexican cookbook and have made both of them many times, always getting lots of complements. The first is for a red salsa, the second for a green.

Fresh Mexican Salsa:
3 ripe tomatos, finely chopped
1/2 cup chopped onion
4-6 fresh serrano chili peppers, seeded and finely chopped
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh cilantro
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
--Stir all ingredients together in a bowl & let stand for 1 hour before serving to allow flavors to blend.

TOMATILLO SALSA
3 cups water
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 cloves garlic
4 fresh serrano chili peppers
1 lb. tomatillos, husks removed
1/2 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
---In a saucepan over high heat, combine the water and 1 teaspoon salt and bring to a boil. Add the garlic, chilies and tomatillos and cook, uncovered, until soft (8-10 minutes). Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the liquid. When cool enough to handle, stem the chilies and tomatillos. In a blender or food processor, combine the garlic, chilies, tomatillos, reserved liquid, cilantro and the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Process to form a smooth puree, then transfer to a bowl. Stir in the chopped onion. Let the salsa cool to room temperature before serving.