Thursday, March 16, 2017

Speedy and Easy Restaurant-Style Salsa

Source: I was inspired by this one and this one and then sort of just went for it, taking what I liked from each and using what I had on hand

Ingredients:
1 can petite diced tomatoes with chiles (when I run out of the case that I bought of these, then I'll probably just use 2 cans of the stewed tomatoes and add a jalapeno to the blender)
1 can Mexican style stewed tomatoes
1 handful cilantro (~1/2 cup), rough chopped
1 lime, juiced
1 clove garlic, rough chopped
1/4 onion (yellow or red), chopped into quarters
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon (heaping) kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika (you could also try the Chipotle Tabasco mentioned in the Our Best Bites recipe above, but this is what I had in my cupboard, so that's what I used; I really like the slight smokey flavor it adds to the salsa, but you could probably leave it out, too, if desired)

Directions:
Place all ingredients in a blender (it doesn't have to be fancy - our cheap Hamilton Beach one works fabulously). Pulse until the ingredients are chopped but not pureed and salsa is desired consistency. Taste for seasoning and adjust to taste. For best flavor, refrigerate at least 2-3 hours before serving.  (I think it just gets better and better as it ages, so when I was making a double batch for a bridal shower for my sister, I blended everything a week before the party so all the flavors could meld and blend and be the best ever.)  Makes 1 quart salsa.  Refrigerate for up to a month or more (if it lasts that long!).

Notes:
One day I was making tacos for dinner but I had no more salsa left.  We live less than a mile from a grocery store, but I decided instead of driving there to buy some, I'd give this recipe I had been saving and thinking about a whirl (quite literally - ha).  I haven't used store-bought salsa ever since and I've made at least four batches of this good stuff for us and for the above-mentioned bridal shower.  It's delicious.  Everyone who tastes it says so.  And it has turned out to be a really great use for that case of too-spicy-for-anything-I've-tried-cooking-with-them diced tomatoes with chiles that I bought at a caselot sale over a year ago and have just been giving away at food drives because my family (and I) won't eat them.  They lend the perfect amount of spice in salsa form (because I expect salsa to be at least a little spicy) and I'm quite pleased with this discovery.

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