This raw salsa can be enjoyed immediately after making. (Florian (Flickr))
I lived in Mexico for a spell a few years ago, it was one of the greatest times of my life culinarily. I learned so much from the ladies I worked with. They were patient and sweet and liked to explain things to me in very simple terms.
The greatest skill I picked up there was salsa making. These ladies had about 60 different salsa recipes cataloged in their brains. These are two I smuggled out of the country.
Red and Green Salsas
Salsa Mexicana
- 5 firm roma tomatoes, finely chopped
- 1/2 large white onion, finely chopped
- 2 serrano or 1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped
- juice of 2 limes
- 1/3 cup cilantro, finely chopped
- salt to taste
- Combine all ingredients in a bowl.
- Enjoy immediately or chill for 30 minutes.
Salsa Verde
- 5 large tomatillos
- 2 jalapeno peppers
- 3 unpeeled garlic cloves
- 1/4 cup white onion, diced
- 1/3 cup cilantro
- juice of 1 lime
- salt to taste
- Turn on oven broiler, or begin to heat griddle.
- Husk and wash the tomatillos.
- Place tomatillos, unpeeled garlic, and peppers on cookie sheet with side and place in the broiler, or place on warm griddle. Rotate often to char all sides.
- Once vegetables are charred on all sides, remove from pan. If there is lots of burnt on goodness, deglaze pan with a bit of water.
- Once cool to the touch, remove garlic from their skins and remove seeds and stems from peppers (unless you would like a very spicy salsa, then leave the seeds intact).
- Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor.
- Enjoy warm or chilled!
Note: You can make a delicious Salsa Roja by replacing the tomatillos with roma tomatoes in this recipe.
