Chile and Tomato Salsa

Tuesday, 31 March 2009

Salsa made in big, commercial batches is usually composed of vegetables that have been smashed as well as chopped. What distinguishes a really fine salsa from an ordinary one is the care that's taken in how the vegetables are cut. Use your sharpest knife and take your time to make fine dice that burst with flavor in every bite. (Makes about 4 cups) 1 tablespoon crushed red chilies 2 tablespoons boiling water 1 teaspoon sea salt Half a large sweet onion such as a Walla Walla Sweet 4 medium-sized vine ripened tomatoes, about 1 pound or 1 16-ounce can organic chopped tomatoes 1 large sweet red pepper 1 medium-sized green chile pepper 1 small ripe jalepeño pepper Cilantro, optional Lime juice, optional 1.) Put the crushed red chilies in a bowl and cover them with the boiling water. Stir in the salt. 2.) Peel the half onion and cut it, as neatly as you can into tiny dice. Add the diced onion to the bowl with the soaked chile peppers. Cut the tomatoes vertically into even slices, then lay the slices on the cutting board and cut them into dice. Stir them into the salsa. 3.) To dice the peppers cut the firm outer flesh away from the core and discard the cores, seeds and stems. Lay the flat outer pieces of the peppers on the cutting board and cut them into julienne strips then cut across the strips to make tiny dice.  Stir the diced chile peppers into the salsa. 4.) Season the salsa if desired with chopped fresh cilantro or a squeeze of fresh lime juice. Serve with chips or use the salsa as a condiment with grilled fish or tacos.