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How to Make a Great Salsa By Bill Wight   Version 1.0

Want something really mouth-watering? OK, take a nice piece of tri-tip and rub it with some minced garlic, some salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Then smoke or grill the tri-tip to an internal temperature of 145F. Slice the meat about a quarter-inch thick and put a few slices on your plate. Then smother the slices with freshly-made salsa fresca. Now that's a treat that can't be beat. There's just something special about salsa. We're not talking about store-bought stuff like Pace, but the real McCoy, homemade and best of all, with the ingredients right out of your garden. What makes up a great salsa anyway? A lot more than just heat, let me tell you. A salsa will be judged on its flavor, texture, color, aroma, appearance, sweetness, acidity and last but not least, its heat. A great salsa will play contrasting flavors against each other, like sweet and sour or sweet and hot. What do you need to make great salsa? Really not much in the way of equipment--a cutting board, a sharp knife, a salsa maker or a food processor and a food grater. Tip: Be careful when putting fresh ripe tomatoes in a salsa maker or food processor as it is very easy to turn the tomatoes into mush instead of nice firm chunks. I usually use a 10-inch chef's knife and do the tomatoes by hand. There are several kinds of salsas, depending on the main ingredient that gives the salsa its character:   Salsa frescas--made with fresh and raw tomatoes, onions and peppers,       This class of salsa is also known as "salsa cruda" , "pico de gallo" or "Mexican salsa"   Fruit salsas--made with fresh, frozen or canned fruits   Bean salsas--these contain one or more kinds of cooked beans   Corn and vegetable salsas--made with fresh, frozen or canned vegetables, either raw or cooked   Nut salsas--made with various kinds of cooked nuts or seeds   Meat or Seafood salsas--made with beef, pork, chicken, fish, shrimp or scallops   OK, let's list a few tips for making a great salsa:   The best salsa is made with the freshest ingredients. When I make salsa fresca from the tomatoes, peppers, onions and cilantro from my garden, I can really tell the difference over store-bought ingredients. There is no comparison. And the stuff you buy ready-made at the store, forget it.   Always use fresh (less than six months old) spices and herbs or better yet, use the herbs from your garden.   Don't scrimp on oils and vinegars, buy the good stuff and you'll be able to taste the difference.   If you can find it, use the raw sugars instead of that white stuff you put in your coffee. Turbinado or jaggery or palm are good choices. Our Southern California Mexican markets have a raw Mexican sugar that comes in short cone shapes.   When you cut or chop the ingredients for a salsa, make all the ingredients approximately the same size. You don't what the onions in half-inch pieces and the tomatoes in quarter-inch pieces.   Unless you're going to can your batch of salsa, serve it while it's fresh. Don't let it sit around in the refrigerator for several days before you serve it.   Use the color of the salsa's ingredients to create a visual work of edible art. There is not much in the world of food that is more beautiful than a large glass bowl filled with salsa fresca made with red, yellow, green and orange tomatoes and red, yellow and green peppers, white onions and dark green cilantro.   You can completely change the character of a salsa by first roasting the ingredients.  If you are going to make a salsa fresca, instead of chopping the tomatoes and onions, slice them into 1/4-inch rounds.  Cut the peppers into slices 2-3 inches long.  Take a large cast iron skillet and heat it very hot.   Leave the skillet dry and toss in a few of the tomato slices at a time and let them brown on one side.  Turn them over and do the same to the other side.  Roast the onion and peppers slices the same way.  Just remember to do a few at a time so no liquid accumulates in the skillet.  We want to roast the vegetables, not sauté them.  Now chop all the vegetables and make the salsa.  This version of salsa fresca will have a completely different personality than a salsa fresca made with unroasted vegetables.   Make your favorite salsa and drain all the liquids from it.   Now add some dark Mexican beer to the salsa.  You have now made a "salsa borracho" or drunken salsa.  You can also add fruit juices (try cranberry), wine and liquors like tequila, vodka and gin to give your salsa a new personality.  Don't go overboard on the booze, or you'll be a "borracho" salsa eater!.   Experiment with different kinds of peppers in your salsa.  Try as many of the fresh varieties as are available in your area, like using poblano peppers instead of Anaheims.   Adding a smoked chipotle, either dried or canned in adobo sauce will give your salsa fresca a whole new flavor.     When I make up a batch of salsa, it is often a little difficult to get the heat level just right for everyone.  What I have learned to do when I make salsa for a group of friends, is to make the main batch of salsa very mild.  Then I take some hotter peppers, like serrano or habanero and mince them and put them in a separate dish.   This way, the non-chile-heads present can enjoy a mild salsa, and the chile-heads can add some of the minced hot peppers and sweat all they want.   What do you put into salsa? You can make salsas with lots of different ingredients. Here's a list:   carrots   zucchini or other squash (cooked or raw)   black or green olives   jicama   avocado   beans (black, red, pinto, black-eyed, kidney)   peas (fresh or frozen--raw or cooked)   banana   mango   papaya   guava   apple   citrus sections (orange, lemon, grapefruit)   cranberries (fresh or dried)   raisins or currants   corn (fresh, frozen or canned--cooked or raw)   pineapple (fresh or canned)   coconut   quinoa   rice   cactus   shellfish (clams, lobster, shrimp, crab, scallops)   onions (green, white, red, yellow, sweet, leeks)    nuts and seeds (pine, cashews, peanuts, sunflower, walnuts and pecans)   even seaweed. The list is endless. And don't forget, as a snack, serve your salsa with tortilla chips. I find the restaurant-style are the best. Better still is to make your own chips from fresh tortillas and deep fry them in vegetable oil.  Don't get them too brown, but take them out of the hot oil and onto paper towels to drain when they first get a hint of browness.   Here are a few of my favorite salsa recipes: Black Bean Salsa (Hearon) Amount Measure Ingredient Preparation Method 1   poblano chile*   2 cans black beans cooked, rinsed 2 tablespoons pomegranate juice**   1/4 cup red bell peppers stemmed, seeded and then diced 1/4 cup yellow bell peppers stemmed, seeded and then diced 2 cloves garlic roasted, peeled, chopped 1 slice white onion (3/4" inch thick) roasted and chopped 1 tablespoon chiles chipotle en adobo canned 1 tablespoon cilantro, fresh chopped 1/4 teaspoon cumin seed toasted     salt to taste * stemmed, seeded, roasted, peeled and then diced ** I use lime juice or cranberry juice as substitute Combine all ingredients in non-reactive bowl; toss briefly in sauté pan over medium heat; salt to taste. Serve at room temperature. Source: Adapted from "Salsa" by Reed Hearon 1993. Reprinted in Food Arts Magazine, June 1993, page 82   Bill's Salsa Fresca Amount Measure Ingredient Preparation Method 2 pounds ripe red tomatoes chop in 1/4" pieces with knife 1 pound tomatillos OR rough chopped     green tomatoes   6 large sweet banana peppers or Anaheim peppers seeded, deveined, roughly chopped 4 medium Hungarian wax peppers*  seeded, deveined, roughly chopped 1/2 bunch cilantro roughly chopped 1 medium white or yellow onion roughly chopped     jalapeno or serrano peppers** seeded, roughly chopped 2   limes, juice of   2 teaspoons salt (to taste)   If using a food processor or salsa maker, add vegetables and chop/process until in 1/4" pieces. Combine all ingredients in large bowl and mix in lime juice and salt to taste. * If Hungarian wax peppers are not available. use any yellow pepper * Adjust the number of jalapeno or serrano peppers to your heat level Source: Bill Wight Mango-Lime Salsa Amount Measure Ingredient Preparation Method 2   mangos, ripe peeled, pitted, diced 1 medium red onion diced 1/2   red bell pepper seeded, diced 1/3 cup fresh lime juice    1   jalapeno minced 1 tablespoon cumin seeds toasted and ground 1 tablespoon coriander seeds toasted and ground 3 tablespoons cilantro, fresh finely chopped     salt and black pepper to taste In a bowl, combine all ingredients and mix well. Salsa will keep in refrigerator for 2 days. Source: Schlesinger - "License To Grill" [Slightly modified] I made this salsa at the 1999 National Q-Fest in Carlsbad MN and it was an big hit. Texas Caviar Amount Measure Ingredient Preparation Method 6   jalapeno peppers seeded, minced 1/2 cup olive oil*   1/4 cup vinegar*   2 cloves garlic minced  1/4 teaspoon dry mustard 1/2 teaspoon black pepper freshly ground 2 cups black-eyed peas cooked 4   green onions with tops sliced 1 large green bell pepper chopped 1 large red bell pepper chopped * You can substitute the oil and vinegar with an equal amount of your favorite Italian dressing. Combine chilies, oil, vinegar, garlic, mustard, and black pepper to form a dressing. Toss black-eyed peas, onions, and celery with the dressing and marinate in the refrigerator overnight before serving. Source: unknown I made this salsa at the 1999 National Q-Fest in Carlsbad MN and it was an big hit. Santa Fe Salsa Amount Measure Ingredient Preparation Method 2 pounds ripe red tomatoes diced 1/4" 6 large Anaheim or New Mex. green peppers seeded, roughly chopped 2 large red bell peppers seeded, roughly chopped 1 medium white or yellow onion roughly chopped 2