Restaurant style salsa

[rhiOrion]

So the mexican side-dish thread has given me quite the craving for salsa.

I can make a very good fresh pico de gallo type salsa, but it's just not the right time of year for that.

So, does anybody have a recipe for a mexican restaurant style salsa? I've tried before, but they always seem sort of muted in their tomato flavor, and not all that great. Pioneer woman posted one recently that I might try, but I figured I'd see what you guys had to say, first.

I don't know if "restaurant style" is the same in all parts of the country, but the one I'm thinking of is a deep red color, and the base is smooth, though sometimes there is some added chunkiness.

TIA!

[llwr]

I roast a bunch of Roma tomatoes, onions, halepenos, and garlic in the oven or on the grill till they're blistered. Then put in the food processor with cilantro and lime juice. Add salt to taste. I don't have a real recipe -- maybe one medium onion to a dozen tomatoes, one or two peppers and a couple of garlic cloves. Everything is to taste really.

[mamadelbosque]

I know what salsa your thinking of, and I don't have a recipe for it... I've thought about trying to find one though

That said, I *do* make salsa, and its kinda a cross between the two. But its really, really easy:

take one quart/large can of tomatoes (whole will be more water, diced will be a bit thicker). Add 1-2TBSP red chili flakes (depending on how hot you want/like it and puree in a blender. Stir in 1/2-1 diced onion, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp oregano, ~ 1/4-1/2 cup chopped cilantro. Tada! Done! Pretty tasty, and really best after a day or two in the fridge. It keeps for ~a week in the fridge

[BetsyS]

I make mine like Pioneer Woman, but I use a can of Rotel (10 oz) to a can of fire roasted tomatoes (just 14 oz), which I guess is half a recipe. I like the fire roasted the best, but regular tomatoes are fine, too.

[cristeen]

If you're using fresh tomatoes, roast them first to concentrate their flavor/evaporate excess liquid. You also want to seed them usually. That eliminates the "muted" flavor.

[redhotmama]

I've had great luck with using canned crushed tomatoes. I pop an onion, the juice of a lime or two, two cloves garlic and a T kosher salt into the blender or food processor. Stir together with a can crushed toms and petite diced or tomato sauce depending on the texture I'm after. Add to that chilies to taste (diced green for mild, roasted fresh poblano for max flavor or pickled finely chopped jalepenos) and an entire bunch of chopped cilantro. YUM!

[noobmom]

I was also going to suggest starting with canned tomatoes. My FIL makes a pretty decent version using Rotel tomatoes.

[velochic]

Originally Posted by cristeen

You also want to seed them usually. That eliminates the "muted" flavor.

That's interesting that you say that. I was watching America's Test Kitchen on PBS just a week or so ago and they said that all of the concentration of the tomato flavor is in the jelly (which holds the seeds) and they recommended that you keep the jelly inside for more concentrated tomato flavor. I don't remember what they were making (and I doubt it was salsa), but they said that you shouldn't seed a tomato if you want the intense tomato flavor.

That being said, I think the jelly and seeds in salsa would really change its texture, so when I make mine, I seed my tomatoes, too. But I only make it in the middle of summer when my tomatoes (I use romas) are ripest in my garden, so it has plenty of flavor.

[ZoeyZoo]

I recommend looking at a Rick Bayless cookbook. He is one of the top chefs for mexican cooking. He has lots of salsa recipes like salsa verde, etc. Many of the recipes are time intensive but they are really good and simple.