Roasted Tomato-Jalapeño Salsa

We are truly enjoying (and a little overwhelmed by) the Roma tomato crop that is still coming in from the garden. We've been making batches of roasted tomato-jalapeño salsa that beats anything we've ever purchased. I attribute it to the fresh roasted tomatoes and a good recipe.

A while back, I scored a copy of Rick Bayless's (he's been on Top Chef Masters, Throwdown with Bobby Flay and Iron Chef America) Mexican Kitchen cookbook at a roadside thrift store (I paid a $1!). Bayless'  cookbook is the real deal. It received the Julia Child Book of the Year Cookbook Award for 1996 and, more to the point, it's the source of my salsa recipe. 

Of course, I've adapted the recipe to suit us (less heat) and I didn't use a mortar and pestle (which the original recipe calls for), but my food processor has not impaired the recipe because, even with the electric appliance, it is so good!

Ingredients 
6 - 8 Roma tomatoes
2 large fresh jalapeño chilies
3 unpeeled garlic cloves
Salt, about 1/2 t.
1 small white onion, finely chopped
cilantro - as desired*
1 1/2 t. cider vinegar

Directions

I cover my cast iron skillet in aluminum foil and then I heat it on the stove top. Then I lay the jalapeños and garlic (in the papery skin) in the skillet and roast them until blackened in spots, 5-10 minutes for the chiles and 15 minutes for the garlic.

While I am roasting the chiles on the stove top, I am using the broiler method to prepare the tomatoes. I take my cookie sheet and place my tomatoes on it and broil them for about 6 minutes, until the skin is blistered and blackened. Then I turn them and do the other side. 

Allow the roasted chiles, garlic and tomatoes to cool. Once cooled, I skin the tomatoes and collect the juices in the process. Now, I pull the stems off the chilies and remove the seeds since we prefer mild salsa instead of hot.  Peel the garlic. 

In a food processor, grind the chiles, garlic and 1/4 t salt to make a paste. Scrape down the sides and add your tomatoes including the juice. Pulse a few times until you have a course-textured puree.

Take chopped onion, chopped cilantro (as desired)  and vinegar and pulse once or twice to stir it into the salsa.

Transfer to serving bowl and serve with warmed chips.

...more Shady Porch recipes you might like!

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Grape Salad...creamy and crunchy too!

Cornbread Salad

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