First, let's address some of the choices for this recipe..
Canned Whole Peeled Tomatoes - Sure, every recipe on the web and every grandma is using fresh roma tomatoes, searing them, charring them, steaming, etc. But, for most of us, it's hard to find a tasty tomato that wont ruin every dish. Second, getting the right cook on a fresh tomato is very craft, too undercooked and your salsa will taste raw, too overcooked and it will taste like stew. Canned tomatoes have already gone through a short cooking process that works perfectly for this table. Most are plum, which works fine. (Whole foods 365 brand, hunt's) Finally, craft salsa recipes tend to focus on getting a lot of char in the blender, but for tomatoes, keeping the skin on during blending leads to a texture and taste nightmare. Stick with the can, and consistent outcomes..
Charring the Peppers - This provides an opportunity for getting some deep flavors and char into the salsa. Roasting/Charring will bring out some sweetness in the peppers, and help with the blending process. Using fresh jalapenos/fresnos/serranos wont ruin the salsa, but can be a bit one dimensional and too bright.
Boiled Garlic - Many fresh salsa recipes do call for boiling tomatoes, garlic, onions, etc., so this step is not out of left field. Boiling the garlic mellows it out a bit, allowing you to get good flavor, without the overpowering bite from blending raw garlic. Roasting/Browning garlic alters the flavor too much, and doesn't balance well with the rest of this recipe, but works well for other salsa styles.
Fresh Diced Onion - Again, many recipes call for searing or roasting most ingredients, even the onions. However, caramelizing the onions turns them too sweet, throwing off the balance we're aiming for. Fresh diced also provides a little texture and compliments the fresh cilantro. Some kitchen tips call for soaking the onions in vinegar for a few minutes to take out some of the bite (do at your own risk). This also allows for less onions if preferred. fyi- the onions can get pungent on the 2nd/3rd day
Blending Separately - Obviously, most recipes are carefully measured and have the illusion of simplicity to look professional, but there's too much variability in ingredients to have a 1 shoe fits all approach. Therefore, throwing all of your ingredients into the blender, pressing a button and hoping for the best is not recommended. There is usually no going back unless you start from the beginning and prep more new ingredients. If your salsas never taste like restaurant salsa, it's probably the pepper to tomato ratio. Not enough pepper, you have tomato soup, too much pepper, you have a pepper sauce/chimichurri condiment. A practical way towards consistency is blending the peppers/garlic/cilantro separately from the tomatoes, and then slowly combining to your desired taste.
No Lime? - Every salsa I ever made up to this point had lime, but, it isn't necessarily needed for this one. Feel free to add, it definitely wont ruin it.
Ingredients
14 oz of canned whole peeled tomatoes- with their juice (385g)
Peppers
2 large or 2.5 medium jalapenos- (75g precooked) - Medium Spice Level
2 medium jalapenos 1/2 fresno - Medium-Hot
2 medium jalapenos - 2 serranos - Hot
Poblanos can add sweetness, but lack heat , so combine with other peppers.
Handful of Fresh cilantro, tear leaves from the stems. (20g)
1/4 large- diced sweet yellow onion (you can substitute red, white, etc.) (50g)
2 large cloves or 3 med cloves of garlic (15g)
Salt (more than you'd like)
Water (to help the blending process, and thin out the salsa)
Equipment:
Blender or Food Processor with Spatula
Pot for boiling the garlic
2 bowls and spoons for mixing
cutting board/knife for the onions
Steps:
Blend Tomatoes and the canning juice for a few seconds, pour into a bowl. The picture below is a few rough pulses to keep a bit of a texture. If you prefer, blend thoroughly for a more consistent sauce-list texture. Refrigerated or room temp tomatoes are both ok, your preference.
Boil the peeled cloves of garlic in water (15 minutes)
Dice 1/4 large sweet yellow onion- set aside.
Cut the peppers in half, chop off the stem and char (broil or pan sear until the skins are charred and softened). Leave charred skin on. (do the same for the fresno chiles, and only the stems for serrano. Remove the seeds and membrane if you desire less heat.
Blend jalapenos, garlic and cilantro together (add water, salt to get things moving.) - set aside in a larger bowl. you can also use some of the tomato puree to help the blending process. Ideally, there is a little chunkiness, but it's more important to make sure everything is incorporated and there aren't big chunks of peppers or garlic in the mix. Blending properly will also ensure that there is enough pepper and garlic flavor throughout the salsa.
Add the tomato puree and diced onion in increments to the pepper/cilantro/garlic mix, until you reach a desired taste. Add salt while finding your perfect balance (I usually have a touch of tomato left over).
If the texture is too thick, or if the salsa it too sweet, you can add water and salt to thin it out. The secret to the restaurant salsas is a lot of salt.. Also, the salsa will thicken over time in the refrigerator, so water will be needed.
This should last for 2.5 days in the refrigerator, any additional time and the flavor dissipates, and anything over a week is not recommended food safety-wise.
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