Let's Salsa

I had about 14 cups of tomatoes and decided to make the first fresh salsa of the season. To say I love salsa is an understatement. I LOVE fresh salsa. So you can imagine my glee when I saw all those tomatoes ripening on the vine.


Oops! Not ready yet.

This is better.




Surprisingly, I only ended up with about three pints of finished product, but it was so good my mouth is watering just writing about it now.
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It is very easy to make salsa and I will show you the way my mom and dad used to make it.


You'll need fresh tomatoes, jalapenos, cilantro, garlic, onion and salt. Gather your ingredients and have them ready for blending so you can dive into your salsa while it's still nice and warm.


Step 1: Coarsely chop up a medium onion, a handful of cilantro and a small bulb of garlic. I like mine garlicky, but you can skip this if you don't like garlic. (There's more than one bulb here. I needed extra for another recipe.)

Step 2: Boil your water


Step 3: make an X on each tomato


Step 4: Drop the tomatoes into the boiling water until the skin starts to come off. It won't take long.
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Step 5: You can either roast your peppers in the oven (too much energy usage for me) or you can simply blister the skin of the pepper on an open flame. This is very fast and easy.



Step 6: Get your tomatoes out of hot water and carefully pull off the skin.

Step 7: Do the same with the peppers. I like to scrape the blistered skin off with a sharp knife.


Step 7.5: ALWAYS wear rubber gloves. There is nothing worse than accidentally touching your eye after you've been seeding peppers.
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Step 8: For your heat level, add as little or as many of the seeds from the peppers as you can handle. I used the seeds from all but three of the serrano peppers. Did you notice I switched some jalapeno for serrano? I found some in the fridge and since they were older I decided to use them up first. Serrano is a bit hotter than jalapeno. The flavor is excellent though.


Step 9: Toss a handful of each ingredient into your blender. I like mine kind of chunky, but blend it to the consistency you prefer. Salt to taste.


Step 10: Keep repeating until you've finished using up all your ingredients.




Ta Da! Salsa.

Have some chips nearby. You don't want to miss the pure Nirvana of tasting the freshest salsa you've ever had.
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I promise you, you will never settle for store-bought again.


Copyright © 2009 Maria Zannini -- http://mariazannini.blogspot.com/.





Comments

Marianne Arkins said…
YES wear gloves... aside from touching your eyes, if you handle enough hot peppers (like jalepenos) bare handed, your hands will burn for hours (Yes, I speak from experience).

And, I don't peel my tomatoes. When I make fresh salsa it is FRESH -- chopped by hand and cold. I <3 it.

Don't forget to add a touch of lime juice for some extra zing.

Mmmm....

Now, if only MY tomatoes were big enough to pick! *G*
Kaz Augustin said…
I ADORE salsa and never make it enough. Buying from a shop doesn't work because fresh salsa hasn't made it to this part of the world yet! Am saving this recipe, M! Thanks!
Maria Zannini said…
Marianne: LOL! I think my hands are immune to hot seeds, stinging nettles and fire. The only thing that bothers them is fire ants.

I'll eat both cold and warm salsa, but I prefer the warm. I don't like having to spit out pieces of loose tomato skin.

Though I will make pico de gallo without peeling the tomato. For that you do need the tomato to hold up since it is more 'salad' than sauce.
Maria Zannini said…
Okay, K. But you have to promise to post more curry dishes. I salivate at the thought! mmm...curry.
Heather Moore said…
Okay, now I feel homesick. My mom always makes fresh salsa.
Maria Zannini said…
*smile* But see, now it's your turn to make it for your kids.

I always regretted not paying more attention when my father cooked. His food was so good.