I would consider myself a frequent lurker here and have been making salsa for a long time but I can’t quite get this recipe figured out. One of my favorite restaurants in central California has this insane salsa that I would love to replicate.
It’s got a dark red color and is pretty well blended (rarely any chunks, maybe an onion sometimes). Flavor is savory/salty, with a warm kick on the back end but nothing too crazy. I would guess there’s white onions and cilantro just based on looks.
My usual recipe has canned fire roasted tomatoes, jalapeño, red onion, cilantro, green chiles, lime and bouillon/salt but it’s definitely not runny like this nor this color and the flavor is totally different. Would love some insight from you all!
by wandering-jane
3 Comments
This is a charred tomato salsa, with garlic, onion, cilantro, and jalapeño, with a dash of bouillon and mostly salt and you add a 1/2 cup of water to it when you blend it. There may also be toasted dried peppers in there.
Here’s a similar one I made today. Mines a little runnier cause this is for tacos but you get the point
https://preview.redd.it/aekx40s5gfmd1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=326d05788dfb78f8a3b36d58daf09006a5fba810
Just based on the photos, make sure you really fire roast/char tomatoes, onion and jalapeños until it’s basically black. That’s where the color comes from. Then add(probably) garlic. Blend jalapeños, tomato and garlic with a bit of water, since it looks somewhat thin. Then add the onion and pulse some more. I see some larger chunks. Add salt and fresh cilantro. Possibly lime juice! If it’s nice and smoky, it’s done over a ripping wood fire.
Ask any questions. Hope this helps!
Everyone is saying the biggest thing for this style of salsa is charring the tomatoes and that’s partially true but a common shortcut is just to boil your ingredients but for a longer period of time. The main reason the salsa is coming out brown as opposed to reddish is how cooked through the tomatoes are. You won’t have that charred flavor if you boil them but it’s surprisingly pretty similar. Also, you may want to experiment with adding a pinch of vinegar in the salsa to brighten it.