Adding a Little Heat in the Kitchen

Do you have a blender?  Then you, my friend, can make your own homemade salsa.  Yes, it’s REALLY that easy.  The only thing you have to “test” is trying out different ratios of veggies to achieve what you decide is your personal preferred blend. I cook a lot of south of the border style dishes and they are always accompanied by or topped with loads of this delicious, fresh treat.

Being a Texan and living in another state can be trying at times, especially when I am are craving Tex-Mex salsa and chips.  There are two restaurants here in the LA area that “say” they are Tex-Mex but they aren’t.  False advertising is quite disheartening, dashing my hopes for a taste of home with the first bite.  That’s one of the reasons I look forward to my trips to Texas, THE FOOD!

There is a little restaurant in my hometown called El Paseo, and if I could have their chips and salsa sent via mail and get here fresh, I would do it weekly, haha.  So, in the absence of my favorite fare, I make my own.  Their salsa does not have cilantro in it and that’s really the only difference from my version.  Living in Southern California has introduced me to the joys of fresh cilantro.

*On a side note, I have begged my favorite waiter at El Paseo, Pancho, to give me their queso recipe for years and he won’t budge.  I WILL get it someday, Pancho, I’m not giving up my quest for the best queso recipe in Texas.

If you like your salsa chunky, this recipe will need to be modified for your preference, because I like mine PULVERIZED!!  Haha…actually not quite, but almost.  This recipe is also very flexible.  You can add a little fresh lemon or lime juice to give it some tang.  You can add green chilies to give it an extra kick or chipotle peppers to REALLY spice it up.  Basically, after you learn this basic recipe, make it your own by adding in your own flavors.

On to the recipe…the first time I made this, I literally threw in the ingredients, blended and prayed I didn’t add too much vinegar.  I didn’t use any type of recipe as inspiration, I just gave it a whirl. Luckily, it turned out pretty good.  It’s actually what I use as my “base” salsa.  When I have guests or give it as a gift, this is what I use if I am not sure if the people that will be eating it, can handle heat because it is a mild salsa.  I kick up the heat for my personal use.

Restaurant Style Salsa

Restaurant Style Salsa

1 12 ounce can of Diced Organic Tomatoes (No Salt Added)
4 Roma Tomatoes
2 large jalapenos
1 small onion (red or white depending on preference)
1 handful of fresh cilantro (cut from stems)
3 Tablespoons of white vinegar
1 tsp of organic sugar
Salt (to taste)
Blender or food processor

*I use all organic veggies.

First chop your veggies.  It can be a rough chop because it’s all going into the blender anyway.

*Make sure to remove the seeds from the tomato.

*Remove seeds from ONE jalapeno, leave them in the other one.  If you like a little more heat, use the seeds of both jalapenos.

Place the can of diced tomatoes, chopped roma tomatoes, onion, jalapenos, cilantro, vinegar, sugar and salt in blender or food processor and blend until you reach your desired consistency.  Taste and add more salt or vinegar if you like.  Again, this recipe should be molded to what you like.

You also might be asking yourself why I combine fresh and canned tomatoes…well, I feel like it gives it more of a “restauranty” (I made up a word!) taste.

Also, you may notice the freshly blended salsa has a pinkish color, that’s OK, it’s just air bubbles.  Once it sits, the air will dissipate and the red color you are used to will come through.

Before serving, make sure you stir the salsa, as there is a lot of natural water from the veggies and the solid particles float to the top.

I store mine in an air tight container.  If you have mason jars, it’s perfect, if not, just use a container with a tight lid.

It should last about a week, maybe a little longer.  Remember, these are all fresh ingredients, there are no preservatives.  And that’s another reason it is so great.

Please let me know what you think in the comments below and I always welcome suggestions! Enjoy!