This recipe changes quite a bit depending on how spicy the peppers are and how flavorful the tomatoes are. I don’t measure, I eyeball it, and more importantly, taste the ingredients. Next time I make it, I will have to do a video, or at the very least, get some pictures. I usually make way too much, which isn’t usually a bad thing. Feel free and try to half the recipe.
I choose peppers based on darkness of the skin, and go for the ones with no wrinkles. I choose tomatoes based on the richness of the red and softness. I don’t want mushy, but they should have just a little softness to them.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 produce bag of roma tomatoes
- Equal amount of another kind of tomato
- 2 white onions
- 1 yellow onion
- 6+ cloves of garlic
- 1+ bunch of Cilantro
- 2+ Limes
- 4 Jalapenos
- 4 Seranos
- 1 Anaheim
- More salt than you think
- pinch of cumin
Slice onions and peppers in half.
Put the rack in the middle of the oven, and broil half of the onions and garlic, and all of the peppers for 10 minutes. Or you can put it in the smoker, which is of course better. They are done when they look soft and a little wrinkled. Or you can put the peppers directly on the stove top (no pan) and get a char on them.
While that is cooling, boil a big pot of water, and drop in some tomatoes in small batches. It only takes a minute or 2, once the skin starts popping open, remove the tomatoes to a strainer, and cool. Repeat in batches until your tomatoes are all done.
Peel the skin off of the tomatoes and squeeze out some of the excess liquid.
I like to remove half the seeds from the jalapenos and seranos, and all the seeds from the anaheim. Leave more seeds for a heat boost (I don’t usually need it)
Add the peppers, onion, juice and zest of 1 lime, garlic, and cilantro, cumin and salt to a large blender and blend. Reserve half of this mixture, and add half of the tomatoes, and blend more.
At this point, you can taste, and determine how the heat is going to be. You are going to want to add in more tomato and pepper mixture to get the heat you want, and make sure and add more salt. Add more lime if needed. If it doesn’t taste like restaurant salsa, it doesn’t have enough salt.
Pair with a good tortilla chip like El Ranchero brand.