Salsa Roja
This is a standard kitchen staple that depends entirely on the quality of your tomatoes and how well you manage the heat. Proper charring provides the depth that canned varieties lack.
Don't fear the black spots on the skins.
The charred bits are where the flavor lives, so let the vegetables sit in the pan undisturbed until the skins visibly pull away from the flesh.
- cast-iron skillet
- blender or food processor
- tongs
What goes in.
- 1 lbRoma tomatoes
- 2serrano peppers
- 1/2white onion, peeled and cut into thick wedges
- 2 clovesgarlic, unpeeled
- 1/4 cupfresh cilantro, roughly chopped
- 1 tspkosher salt
- 1 tbspfresh lime juice
Building the base without oil
Roasting the aromatics in a dry, heavy skillet forces the natural sugars to caramelize and gives the salsa a smoky backbone that mimics a wood-fired hearth.
The method.
Heat the cast-iron skillet
Get the skillet screaming hot over high heat. Add the tomatoes, serranos, onion wedges, and garlic cloves.
Blister the vegetables
Let them cook without moving them for 3-4 minutes until the skins are blackened. Rotate with tongs until every side is charred and the tomatoes have softened.
Remove the garlic skin
Take the garlic out once it is soft to the touch. Peel the papery skin off, then add the soft cloves to the blender.
Pulse the mixture
Add the remaining charred vegetables, salt, and lime juice to the blender. Pulse 4 to 5 times. You want a rustic, chunky texture, not a puree.
Fold in the herbs
Pour the salsa into a bowl and stir in the chopped cilantro by hand.
Other turns to take.
Salsa Morita
Add two dried morita chiles to the pan for a deeper, earthier, and significantly hotter profile.
Creamy Avocado Salsa
Add one ripe avocado to the blender in the final step to emulsify the salsa into a rich, cooling dip.
When it doesn't go to plan.
If the salsa is too thick, add a tablespoon of water, but stop there; you want the moisture from the tomatoes to dominate.
Taste the serranos before adding both; if they are unusually aggressive, use only one.
Let the salsa sit at room temperature for 20 minutes before serving so the salt can pull the juices out of the tomatoes.
The ones that keep coming up.
Can I use canned tomatoes?
You can, but you will miss the smoky flavor provided by the charring process. If you must use them, roast them in the skillet until the excess liquid evaporates.
How long will this last?
Keep it in a glass jar in the refrigerator for up to three days. It will lose its freshness quickly after that.
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