Salsa

My Dad was always playing around with salsa. I pulled his standard recipe, which he used as a base, and I include it here. But I must tell you, it is mild. If you want some kick, and a bit of depth, you must dress it up a bit. And I include all of those "dressings" as options below. Something I have been working around is the jalapenos. The store-bought jalapenos are really mild. So, if I use them, as I am here, I add some pickled jalapeno and pickling juice to amp things up a bit. Also, I mix the salsa with an immersion blender but feel free to use a food processor or blender.

Ingredients

Standard recipe

Two 14.5 oz cans of stewed tomatoes

1/2 onion diced

2 cloves garlic diced

Juice from 1/2 lime

1 4oz can hatch green chili peppers (diced) - get the hot ones if available

1 teaspoon salt

2-3 tablespoons chopped cilantro

Options to consider

• 1 teaspoon ancho chile pepper powder

• 1 teaspoon chile powder

• 2 large pinches of cayenne pepper powder

• 1 jalapeno pepper diced (seeds included)

• 6-8 slices of pickled jalapenos with 1/2 teaspoon of pickling juice

• Juice from the other half of the lime 

Directions

• Place all ingredients (both standard and any options you have added) in your blender or food processor. If using an immersion blender, placing it all in a high-sided pot works nicely. 

• Blend the ingredients on low to your desired consistency. 

• Sample and adjust salt and spices to taste.

• Place in a sealed container and refrigerate for 2-4 hours or overnight. Of course, the longer it sits, the better the flavor will be. 

• Enjoy!