Two Easy Salsas

If you know me, you know I love Mexican food. No matter what it is, if it’s Mexican, chances are I’ll love it. Obviously, the sides and accompaniments are important to a great Mexican meal. And that’s one reason I worked on my salsa recipes years ago. In addition, there are very few people I know who will turn down a bowl of warm chips and good salsa, either as a starter or as a snack.

Truth be told, I know some people who will simply puree a can of tomatoes with green chiles and be done with it. And that’s fine… if you have no sense of adventure. But in just a few minutes you can turn that can of tomatoes and green chiles into something as good as you’ll get in a restaurant and really impress your friends! So… let me show you two easy salsa recipes that you can adapt to your personal taste.

Easy Chunky Salsa

Ingredients:

1 can Tomatoes with green chiles. (I prefer Ro-tel.)
1/4 cup finely chopped onions
Cilantro – dried or fresh chopped – anywhere from 1 teaspoon to 1 Tablespoon (or more, to taste.)
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
Pinch of oregano (Mexican is best.)
Pinch of cumin
Pinch of salt
Juice of 1/2 lime
Cayenne pepper to taste

Instructions:

Open the can of tomatoes and peppers and drain, pressing the top down to squeeze out as much juice as possible. Pour remainder into bowl.
Add remaining ingredients.
Stir.
Serve with warmed chips.

One thing to remember about this recipe: the amount of each ingredient (except tomatoes and peppers) is subject to your own taste. To be honest, I don’t measure anything. Instead, I eyeball it, then taste and adjust if need be. So feel free to experiment with this one until you have it just the way you want it.

Easy Pureed Salsa

Ingredients: as above

Instructions:

There are only two differences between this recipe and the one above. First, instead of using a bowl, put everything in a blender. Second, once you’ve got all the ingredients together, just press the Massacre button on your blender. (Puree it, OK?)

Notes:

1. You can eat this salsa as soon as you’ve made it, and I often do. However, it’s even better if you let it chill for a bit, letting the ingredients get to know each other and get happy. Remember though, if you let it chill, it may be a bit hotter than if served immediately.

2. It’s easy to warm tortilla chips. Just put them in a bowl and place the bowl in the microwave for a few seconds. I usually do them in soup bowl-sized batches and heat them for about 20 seconds. If you do a larger bowl for a longer time, you run the risk of scorching the chips in the middle. When you first try this, it’s best to heat the chips for a short time, then check to see if they’re ready. If not, give them another 10-15 seconds at a time.

3. Cayenne pepper isn’t the hottest out there, but it’s hot enough that you’re better off adding a bit at a time so you don’t overdo it. If you want a milder salsa, omit the Cayenne altogether. If you want it hotter, add a Habanero pepper sauce.

4. Ro-tel makes several varieties of tomatoes with green chiles, including regular, mild and hot. Choose the one that’s best for you.

Remember, this one is meant to be adapted to your taste. Play with it, remembering to take notes and have fun. And please leave me a comment to tell me how you did. Until next time, remember:

Play with your food!

Lane

Did you like this recipe? What recipes would you like to learn? Leave me a comment and tell me your thoughts! (And don’t forget to LIKE this post!) Share it using the tiles below.

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