Fresh Tomato Salsa

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Maelinde

Senior Cook
Joined
Feb 26, 2015
Messages
123
Location
Dallas/Fort Worth
Friends,

A few years back, Randy and I spent the better part of a weekend perfecting our fresh salsa. We never used a recipe before - just put the ingredients in to taste. Several of our friends wanted an actual recipe so that they could make it themselves. We thoroughly enjoyed eating the "mistakes"... :LOL:

This salsa can be used for more than just a dip with chips. I love it as a salad dressing, a baked potato topping, on fresh grilled fish, chicken or steak, and I confess to eating it with a spoon once. :ermm:

Without further ado, here is the fresh salsa recipe:

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[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Ingredients:[/FONT]


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]6 Medium Roma Tomatoes[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]3 Large Tomatillos[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]1/3 Medium White or Sweet Yellow Onion[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]1/2 Medium Jalapeño Pepper[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]1/2 Tbs Minced Garlic[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]1/2 Tbs Lime Juice[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]1 Tbs Tapatio Brand Hot Sauce[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]1/2 tsp Salt[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]1 Tbs Dried Cilantro Flakes (optional)[/FONT]


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Preparation:[/FONT]


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Slice tomatoes in half. Remove outer skin from [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]tomatillos, and quarter them. Remove seed pod[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]from jalapeño. Place all ingredients in food[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]processor, and chop until at desired consistency.[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Can be served right away, but for best flavor,[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]chill for at least 4 hours in refrigerator. The[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]salsa is mild as shown. Use more jalapeño and/or[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]hot sauce if desired.[/FONT]


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Serves about 6-8 people as a dip. Works well as a topping, too.
[/FONT]
 
I forgot - anyone here is free to repost this recipe as long as you give me the credit.

Also, if you make any changes, please let me know as I'd love to try them. I knew someone who replaced all the tomato with pineapple and it was fantastic.

The ingredient list was designed to be easily adapted to other kinds of salsa.

Enjoy! :chef:
 
Sounds good. I was just thinking about making fresh salsa. I can't get tomatillos here. I'll just substitute extra tomato. I'll probably use a hot sauce I already have, as well.
 
Sounds good. I was just thinking about making fresh salsa. I can't get tomatillos here. I'll just substitute extra tomato. I'll probably use a hot sauce I already have, as well.
TL--I'm surprised you can't get fresh tomatillos in Montreal. Produce Depot in Ottawa has had them all winter (and still has them). They are available locally late August-first frost. I also have seen them canned in the Latino markets here and frozen in the Mid-Eastern stores. I bet you can find them in Montreal.
 
TL--I'm surprised you can't get fresh tomatillos in Montreal. Produce Depot in Ottawa has had them all winter (and still has them). They are available locally late August-first frost. I also have seen them canned in the Latino markets here and frozen in the Mid-Eastern stores. I bet you can find them in Montreal.
You forget that I'm only near, not in, Montréal. I'm just not willing to drive the 20-25 km, fight with traffic, and deal with parking for some tomatillos. I hadn't thought of canned. I'll have a look around here for canned tomatillos.
 
Sounds good. I was just thinking about making fresh salsa. I can't get tomatillos here. I'll just substitute extra tomato. I'll probably use a hot sauce I already have, as well.

Every ingredient in the salsa is interchangeable, truth be told. If you can get some green tomatoes, it might be even tastier. Might want to add extra lime juice to get the citrus-y taste that the tomatillos bring to the party.

I posted the Tapatio brand as that is our favorite, and some of the least expensive we find here in Texas. I know folks who like ghost pepper sauce and habaneros instead of the Tapatio and Jalapeño. No way I'd want to subject my body to that much heat... :ohmy:

I've even substituted green & red bell pepper for the Jalapeño & removed the hot sauce when making it for folks with sensitivities to spicy hot things. It actually turned out pretty good. I like a medium heat so that I can actually taste the actual food I'm eating. ;)

I'm betting that your version will turn out YUMMY. I can't wait to hear how well it goes over with everyone.
 
I hadn't thought of canned. I'll have a look around here for canned tomatillos.

I've used canned in a pinch and they worked pretty well. I've even used dried cilantro in a pinch and people liked that one better. Plus the dried cilantro lasts longer. Cilantro is a totally optional ingredient. I love it, but I know folks who totally despise it. No worries. Big huge batch of Salsa with cilantro for me, tiny batch without cilantro for them. :LOL:
 
Nice recipe, Maelinde! I would not have thought of using a hot sauce, great idea!
 
I like to add my homemade tomato salsa to the stuffing for peppers or zucchini
 
I like to add my homemade tomato salsa to the stuffing for peppers or zucchini

I like my salsa for all the regular reasons, plus, I keep a jar at work. When I feel drowsy in the afternoon, a tsp. opens up my sinuses and make my brain wake up and pay attention. My mouth says yum, but we're pushing things, almost to the limit, and if you let it go down the wrong hole, or sneeze and send it into your nose, you will be very sorry.:LOL: I'm usually good for another two hours of work after that wake-up call. Oh, and it just tastes so darn good, at least to me.:yum:

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North
 
I like my salsa for all the regular reasons, plus, I keep a jar at work. When I feel drowsy in the afternoon, a tsp. opens up my sinuses and make my brain wake up and pay attention. My mouth says yum, but we're pushing things, almost to the limit, and if you let it go down the wrong hole, or sneeze and send it into your nose, you will be very sorry.:LOL: I'm usually good for another two hours of work after that wake-up call. Oh, and it just tastes so darn good, at least to me.:yum:

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North

I'll pass on the ghost pepper, but I'd add at least a couple of jalapenos for the flavor, plus something else to add some more heat. I got used to eating conch salad when we lived in the Bahamas, and that's just fresh salsa with some chopped conch added. It als has goood heat, but never more than just a tiny amount of chopped goat or finger pepper (that's what they call the ones they grow there). Goat peppers (the Bahamian variety of habenero) look like pale habeneros or Scotch bonnets and are every bit as hot. The finger peppers are multicolored, about 1 to 1.25 inches long and 3/8 inch in diameter, pointed on the end.

Gary Ritchie made his conch salad in a batch that made about 4 - 6 servings and used just 1/2 of a finger pepper. You could ask for more, and he'd mince about 1/4 of a pepper in a serving and it was about as hot as I could take it.
 
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No ghost peppers for me, either - I'm too much of a heat wimp when it comes to those. :ohmy: I do like jalapenos, though.

I make pico de gallo often, and just make it very simply - chopped tomatoes, Spanish onions, and jalapeno, a little salt and pepper, and fresh cilantro.


Thank you for sharing your recipe, Maelinde. It sounds good - I like the idea of adding a little hot sauce - just a little for me, haha!
 
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Salsas are very versatile, you can add or take things out. I love fresh cilantro in mine. Some times I add mango, some times I add peach. Fresh red jalapeño is a must for me.


Sent from my iPad using Discuss Cooking
 
I rough chop the tomatoes then quick pulse them in the food processor. Then I sieve out the skins and seeds both of which are bitter. The tomato pulp (wherein lays the umami) is then used in the salsa.
 
No ghost peppers for me, either - I'm too much of a heat wimp when it comes to those. :ohmy: I do like jalapenos, though.

I make pico de gallo often, and just make it very simply - chopped tomatoes, Spanish onions, and jalapeno, a little salt and pepper, and fresh cilantro.


Thank you for sharing your recipe, Maelinde. It sounds good - I like the idea of adding a little hot sauce - just a little for me, haha!

I make mine exactly the same way Cheryl, with a squeeze of lemon or lime.

I was looking at the recipe from the Pioneer Woman and thought, why doesn't she just open a can of Herdez salsa?
 
I like Herdez brand too, and usually have a couple of cans for back up for when I can't, or don't have the time, to make homemade. :)

Rojo's is really good, IMHO. :yum: It's in the refrigerated section of the grocery store.
 

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