Fire Roasted Fresh Salsa

By Steph Weed

This recipe is from a friend of mine who developed it when she had a ton of fresh tomatoes and peppers from her Wyoming backyard garden. Every time a jar of this salsa is opened it disappears! 

Ideally you use fresh local produce but when that is not available store bought veggies still make this salsa way better than from a jar. I have listed sugar as an ingredient, which I’d say only use if you are using store-bought tomatoes but it does neutralize some of the acidity. If you grow your own or buy your tomatoes at the farmers market, the quality is a bit better and they’re a bit sweeter so the sugar isn’t needed.

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INGREDIENTS

  • 1 1/4 lbs ripe Roma tomatoes* (about 6)

  • 1 (14.5 oz) can roasted petite diced tomatoes**

  • 1(4.5 oz) can of fire roasted (I prefer Hatch) green chilies

  • 2 green onions,*** ends trimmed, chopped into thirds

  • 1/3 cup chopped red onion (about 1/4 of a medium)

  • 1 jalapeno pepper,**** seeded and roughly chopped

  • 1/3 cup fresh cilantro (about a handful)

  • 2 large cloves garlic, roughly chopped

  • 3 Tbsp fresh lime juice/juice of 1 small lime

  • 1/2 tsp chili powder

  • 1 tsp smoked paprika

  • 2 tsp ground cumin

  • 1 tsp ground coriander

  • 1 tbsp granulated sugar (optional)

  • Salt to taste

Instructions

  1. Combine all ingredients in a food processor and pulse in 1 second bursts until all ingredients are finely chopped. If you don’t have a food processor you can use a blender, but use the pulse option so that the salsa remains pretty chunky-not too smooth.

  2. Serve with tortilla chips. Note that salsa always tastes best after it's been refrigerated for a few hours, so if time allows let the flavors marinate together before serving.

Notes

  • *Use best quality fresh tomatoes or salsa will be lacking in flavor.

  • Sometimes I like to substitute a few canned chipotle peppers with some adobo sauce for the jalapeno. This is a spicier option.

  • If I don’t have fresh jalapenos around I use jarred pickled jalapenos

  • Store in refrigerator up to 2 weeks (remember it won’t last as long as store bought because there are no preservatives or stabilizers)

 
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  • Fresh Roma tomatoes – use the nice, firm, red ones.

  • Fire Roasted, diced canned tomatoes and green chiies– I like to use canned in addition to fresh because it gives the salsa a better consistency and depth of flavor and fire roasted for the smokieness.

  • Fresh cilantro – cilantro adds key flavor, but if you are someone who is genetically predisposed to hate it (this is a real thing) use fresh flat leaf parsley for the herb depth.

  • Jalapeno – this adds a nice kick, if you are not into spice or don’t have fresh then try pickled jalapeno as they are mellowed out a bit

  • Red onion – yellow onion can be used here as well.

  • Green onion – adds fresh depth of onion flavor

  • Garlic – it may seem small but garlic packs a flavorful punch. Only use fresh garlic here for best flavor.

  • Lime – this really brightens up the salsa.

  • Spices: Chili powder, smoked paprika, ground coriander, cumin –Flavah people!

  • Sugar – just a touch balances out the acidity of the tomatoes and lime and helps boost flavor of store bought/winter tomatoes.

  • Sea Salt /Hymalayan pink salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

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