Thursday, August 18, 2011

Summer Salsa

I got a request for this salsa recipe, which always surprises me a bit, because it seems so simple to make salsa. I sometimes forget that I've been cooking (really cooking, and not just helping) for around 25 years now, so things that seem easy may only be so because of my experience. So here is my salsa recipe. Feel free to adjust the ingredients to what you have on hand.

Russ’s Salsa

1 large onion
3 serrano peppers
2 jalapeno peppers
1 t. chopped garlic
1 1/2 t. salt
3 large tomatoes

Prepare vegetables for salsa by removing onion skin, seeding peppers, and removing stems from tomatoes. Cut the items into manageable pieces. In a hand food chopper (rotary type), mix/chop onion, peppers, garlic and salt (be careful if you use a food processor, or you could end up with soup). When well chopped, remove to large bowl and chop tomatoes in chopper. When well chopped, add to pepper mixture and stir together. Flavor improves with a few hours sitting (in the fridge). I do not use cilantro in my recipe, as Russ hates it, but feel free to add a couple of sprigs, chopped, if you like it. Also - this recipe makes HOT salsa. If you want milder salsa, use milder peppers instead of jalapenos and serranos. If you like hotter, try a habanero or two. Zowie!

Tips: Use rubber gloves to prepare the hot peppers, and then discard. I usually only need one for my left hand (the one not holding the knife).

I made salsa with the pictured ingredients from the garden the other day. It turned out so pretty, with all the colors. Delicious, too.