Salsa. Lets make it.
February 25, 2008 2:24 PM Subscribe
Salsa. What is the hands-down best salsa recipe ever?
Response by poster: ...but which one is the best?
posted by buriednexttoyou at 2:32 PM on February 25, 2008
posted by buriednexttoyou at 2:32 PM on February 25, 2008
Slap Yo' Mama Good Lime Salsa
Ingredients:
4 roma tomatoes
1 med. white onion
2 or 3 pinches of cilantro
1 basil leaf
4 cloves of garlic
4 jalepeno peppers
1/4 of a habenero pepper
1 tsp of salt
Juice of one lime
If you like chunky salsa, hand chop all ingredients and mix, store in plastic container and refrigerate overnight. Otherwise you can use a food processor. Best served with Touch of Lime Tostitoes. You can add another jalepeno instead of the habenero. This was taste-tested by an Ecuadorian, a Peruvian and a Panamanian and they all raved about it, so you know it's gotta be Slap Yo' Mama Good. Cuatro estrellas!
posted by HeyAllie at 2:36 PM on February 25, 2008 [1 favorite]
Ingredients:
4 roma tomatoes
1 med. white onion
2 or 3 pinches of cilantro
1 basil leaf
4 cloves of garlic
4 jalepeno peppers
1/4 of a habenero pepper
1 tsp of salt
Juice of one lime
If you like chunky salsa, hand chop all ingredients and mix, store in plastic container and refrigerate overnight. Otherwise you can use a food processor. Best served with Touch of Lime Tostitoes. You can add another jalepeno instead of the habenero. This was taste-tested by an Ecuadorian, a Peruvian and a Panamanian and they all raved about it, so you know it's gotta be Slap Yo' Mama Good. Cuatro estrellas!
posted by HeyAllie at 2:36 PM on February 25, 2008 [1 favorite]
It depends on who you ask. What's the best movie ever?
posted by rhizome at 2:36 PM on February 25, 2008
posted by rhizome at 2:36 PM on February 25, 2008
I agree with rhizome. There is no such thing. There are many different types of salsas too. The best salsa recipe is the one you like the best. Unless, of course, you let other people dictate your taste.
posted by Eekacat at 2:40 PM on February 25, 2008
posted by Eekacat at 2:40 PM on February 25, 2008
Response by poster: Ok folks, I will make this a little clearer: Pick one favorite salsa recipe to share.
posted by buriednexttoyou at 2:45 PM on February 25, 2008
posted by buriednexttoyou at 2:45 PM on February 25, 2008
Roasted Tomato Salsa
Roast about 8 roma tomatoes and 2 serrano chiles under the broiler, turning, until they are charred all over and soft. Once they're cool enough to handle, scoop out the seeds and roughly chop all the tomatoes.
Puree 1/2 of the tomatoes until more or less smooth. Chop the other 1/2 by hand until they are a rough and smooshy small dice. Place the diced tomatoes in a mesh sieve and drain, tossing from time to time to help remove the liquid.
Mince 1 small red onion, 2-3 cloves of garlic, 2 good handfuls of cilantro, and the serranos. Stir together with the tomato puree and drained diced tomatoes. Season with salt, a generous amount of lime, and a pinch of sugar if necessary. For more smokey taste, substitute chipotles for the serranos.
The half chopped, half pureed tomatoes give this salsa a great texture that's neither too chunky nor too soupy. Since roasting makes the tomatoes more flavorful, the recipe works well even when there aren't perfect summer tomatoes (frankly, beautiful heirlooms are better unroasted, although I still do the half diced, half pureed technique.)
posted by mostlymartha at 2:47 PM on February 25, 2008 [2 favorites]
Roast about 8 roma tomatoes and 2 serrano chiles under the broiler, turning, until they are charred all over and soft. Once they're cool enough to handle, scoop out the seeds and roughly chop all the tomatoes.
Puree 1/2 of the tomatoes until more or less smooth. Chop the other 1/2 by hand until they are a rough and smooshy small dice. Place the diced tomatoes in a mesh sieve and drain, tossing from time to time to help remove the liquid.
Mince 1 small red onion, 2-3 cloves of garlic, 2 good handfuls of cilantro, and the serranos. Stir together with the tomato puree and drained diced tomatoes. Season with salt, a generous amount of lime, and a pinch of sugar if necessary. For more smokey taste, substitute chipotles for the serranos.
The half chopped, half pureed tomatoes give this salsa a great texture that's neither too chunky nor too soupy. Since roasting makes the tomatoes more flavorful, the recipe works well even when there aren't perfect summer tomatoes (frankly, beautiful heirlooms are better unroasted, although I still do the half diced, half pureed technique.)
posted by mostlymartha at 2:47 PM on February 25, 2008 [2 favorites]
An insanely simple recipe I pinched off an ex, who happened to be Central American, as posted to Flickr. Even though all my friends here in TX eat at (very good) Mexican restaurants all the time, they rave about my version. As always, it'll only be as good as your ingredients, but it can be made in under five minutes. It does taste better (and spicier) after a night in the fridge, though.
posted by Ufez Jones at 2:59 PM on February 25, 2008 [2 favorites]
posted by Ufez Jones at 2:59 PM on February 25, 2008 [2 favorites]
This is not quite the salsa I like best, but it's the one I make best.
4 plum tomatoes
1/2 red onion
1/2 white onion
1 slightly less than ripe Hass avocado or 1/2 slightly less than ripe Florida avocado
LOTS OF CILANTRO
Chop these into pieces no greater than 1 cm in any dimension, adjusting proportions as you like. Mix well. Drain well.
Add:
juice from 1 lime
1/2 shot tequila (plata if you can get it, but Sr. Cuervo is fine)
1/2 tsp salt
Mix well, drain well, and drain again just before serving. For hot salsa I add a couple minced chiles and some red pepper flakes.
It should be self-evident what to do with the other half-shot of tequila.
posted by casarkos at 3:02 PM on February 25, 2008
4 plum tomatoes
1/2 red onion
1/2 white onion
1 slightly less than ripe Hass avocado or 1/2 slightly less than ripe Florida avocado
LOTS OF CILANTRO
Chop these into pieces no greater than 1 cm in any dimension, adjusting proportions as you like. Mix well. Drain well.
Add:
juice from 1 lime
1/2 shot tequila (plata if you can get it, but Sr. Cuervo is fine)
1/2 tsp salt
Mix well, drain well, and drain again just before serving. For hot salsa I add a couple minced chiles and some red pepper flakes.
It should be self-evident what to do with the other half-shot of tequila.
posted by casarkos at 3:02 PM on February 25, 2008
One of my absolute favorite foods in the world is a chilled, diced mixture of 5 Roma tomatoes, 1 jalepeno, half a small white onion, and a few sprigs of cilantro dressed with the juice of 2 limes, kosher salt and freshly-cracked black pepper. Nothing fancy, but delicious.
For something a bit more unique, try this:
1 cubed mango
2 peeled and diced cucumbers
About a cup of fresh (not canned) diced pineapples
A splash of the fresh pineapple juice
2 Jalepenos
1 Lime
Cilantro, salt, and pepper to taste
Mix to combine, chill, and eat. I've had quasi-religious experiences while enjoying this salsa with grilled tuna steak.
posted by kryptondog at 3:27 PM on February 25, 2008 [3 favorites]
For something a bit more unique, try this:
1 cubed mango
2 peeled and diced cucumbers
About a cup of fresh (not canned) diced pineapples
A splash of the fresh pineapple juice
2 Jalepenos
1 Lime
Cilantro, salt, and pepper to taste
Mix to combine, chill, and eat. I've had quasi-religious experiences while enjoying this salsa with grilled tuna steak.
posted by kryptondog at 3:27 PM on February 25, 2008 [3 favorites]
Sunday I blanched 8 tomatoes, skinned them and mashed them in the molcajete, added them to the juice of two limes, 3 crushed dried chipotles, 2 fresh chopped jalepenos, six cloves of garlic, one red onion, one bunch of cilantro, and some salt.
posted by These Premises Are Alarmed at 3:39 PM on February 25, 2008
posted by These Premises Are Alarmed at 3:39 PM on February 25, 2008
I went through (check that, am currently in) a salsa-making phase...but I recently discovered La Mexicana salsa at my local grocery store. It's in the produce aisle on ice, and it's *amazing*. Almost good enough to get me to stop making it at home (although my wife makes sure we always have a supply...apparently I'm a messy cook). Not sure of it's outside-of-Boston availability, but it's highly recommended. Fresh, with just the right amount of kick for each level
posted by um_maverick at 4:08 PM on February 25, 2008
posted by um_maverick at 4:08 PM on February 25, 2008
Great tomatoes = great salsa. The few times I've made salsa with fantastic late summer tomatoes it was heaven on a chip, but that's of course because the tomatoes were heavenly.
One thing I like to do when making salsa w/ raw onions is to soak the chopped onions in cold water for 10-15 minutes then give them a final rinse in cold water to reduce their bite.
Also if you like hot sauce I love the Parrot brand, it's fairly hot, but more importantly it has a great habanero + acidic/vinegar flavor I like in my salsa.
posted by JulianDay at 5:15 PM on February 25, 2008 [1 favorite]
One thing I like to do when making salsa w/ raw onions is to soak the chopped onions in cold water for 10-15 minutes then give them a final rinse in cold water to reduce their bite.
Also if you like hot sauce I love the Parrot brand, it's fairly hot, but more importantly it has a great habanero + acidic/vinegar flavor I like in my salsa.
posted by JulianDay at 5:15 PM on February 25, 2008 [1 favorite]
I tried many recipes with all kinds of unnecessary ingredients before I settled on this one. It is about as simple as it gets:
5 roma tomatoes diced
1/2 red onion diced
1 tsp salt
1/2 jalepeno de-seeded, finely minced
2 tbsp cilantro chopped
juice of 1/2 lime
I sometimes add a splash of Corona to it -- "a touch of Mexico" as I like to explain to my wife -- but really it is just an excuse to crack a beer.
posted by stp123 at 9:17 PM on February 25, 2008 [1 favorite]
5 roma tomatoes diced
1/2 red onion diced
1 tsp salt
1/2 jalepeno de-seeded, finely minced
2 tbsp cilantro chopped
juice of 1/2 lime
I sometimes add a splash of Corona to it -- "a touch of Mexico" as I like to explain to my wife -- but really it is just an excuse to crack a beer.
posted by stp123 at 9:17 PM on February 25, 2008 [1 favorite]
JulianDay has it. It's all about the tomatoes and (to a lesser extent) the seasoning in terms of garlic, chili, cilantro, salt (sea salt please!), pepper and citrus. Usually, more is better. But the tomatoes rule. If you can find field-ripened tomatoes you're in heaven.
posted by unSane at 10:28 PM on February 25, 2008
posted by unSane at 10:28 PM on February 25, 2008
stp123's got it, the perfect basic salsa. It's pretty much the recipe I use, what Mexicans call Pico de Gallo. My version of pico de gallo has a much higher ratio of onion to tomato-mine works out to about 3 tomatoes per onion...and I leave the seeds in the jalapeno. Of course all of these other recipes sound interesting, and I think I will try a few of 'em....but this is the one you'll always come back to. After I add the lime, I let it and cure for a while before I eat it.
posted by jackbrown at 11:16 AM on February 26, 2008
posted by jackbrown at 11:16 AM on February 26, 2008
My uncle wrote this book of salsa recipes. It includes this Green Grape Salsa recipe, which we have enjoyed on numerous occasions. Sounds crazy, but it's really great.
posted by chr1sb0y at 11:20 AM on March 4, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by chr1sb0y at 11:20 AM on March 4, 2008 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by inconsequentialist at 2:28 PM on February 25, 2008 [1 favorite]