Saturday, October 2, 2010

Simple Tomato Salsa

Everybody likes salsa, right? It's so versatile - you can put it on top of eggs, fish, chicken, tacos, whatever. Or just eat it with tortilla chips (the typical mode of consumption in this household).

Here's my basic salsa recipe. (Yes, it's a lot of chopping. Make sure you have a sharp knife, and hide the tips of your fingers. Bobby Flay has a good video showing basic knife skills.)

Salsa

3 large tomatoes
¼ - ½ red onion
1 serrano chile
1 jalapeƱo chile
1 yellow chile
a handful of chopped cilantro
the juice of ½ - 1 lime
salt
1-2 garlic cloves (optional)

Quarter the tomatoes and remove the stem, core and seeds. (I freaking hate tomato seeds.) Do the same for the chiles. Dice up everything. I personally like ¼" pieces for the tomatoes and onions, and smaller for the chiles and garlic. Mix together, adding lime juice and salt. Let it sit for a while so the salt can work its magic on the tomatoes, i.e. it'll pull the water out so you have a salsa, not just a bowl of diced vegetables.

Serve. With everything.

11 comments:

Christo Gonzales said...

this salsa is a pico de gallo if I ever saw one - great recipe vicki!

Vicki said...

Hey doggybloggy - Original recipe courtesy of my half-Mexican hubby. I just made it better by adding garlic :)

A Tuscan foodie in America said...

You know, I haven't found a salsa recipe that I love yet. I tried the one in Rick Bayless' book and I felt like calling him and telling him he was a fraud.

I will try yours.

Vicki said...

I tried a Rick Bayless one with dried toasted chiles. It was ok, but I like this fresh version better.

Desco said...

I was gonna say this sounds a LOT like how I make pico de gallo. (though I often use jalapenos) I based it on El Burrito Loco's pico, which I absolutely love on carnitas (or anything) and its how I make guacamole. Just add avocados, mash, extra salt & lime to taste.

Vicki said...

Hey Desco - Isn't Burrito Loco that place in BBK? Burritos as big as your head. I'm usually a purist when it comes to guacamole - avocado, salt, lime, maybe a dash of garlic powder.

Jennifer said...

Hello, you are damn funny, I love how you write. I love the Random Quotes, LOL!

Vicki said...

Hi Cheryl - Thank you! I have a very entertaining family that provides me with lots of material :)

Desco said...

Yup, that little ol' Mexican hole in the wall that was behind KFC is now a 20+ location chain all around the suburbs. Bart, the guy who opened the original place, no longer cooks, just drives around in his big purple-and-chrome dualie with the artwork on the hood... (I'm not kidding)

Peggy said...

This recipe sounds and looks fantastic! Thanks for posting this!

Vicki said...

Hi Peggy - Thank you!