A can of fire roasted tomatoes, a quarter of an onion, some jalapeno, garlic, lime and cilantro. Five minutes in a food processor.
Homemade salsa from fresh tomatoes takes considerably longer and is better in August. This is the version that works the rest of the year.
Fire roasted tomatoes are the shortcut
A 14.5 ounce can with garlic, and the fire roasting is what makes it worth using.
Fire roasted canned tomatoes have been charred before canning, which gives them a smoky depth that plain canned tomatoes do not have. That smokiness is what a good salsa gets from roasting fresh tomatoes over a flame, and here it is already done.
Plain diced tomatoes work and the salsa tastes noticeably flatter. If that is all you have, a pinch of smoked paprika gets some of the way back.
Pulse the aromatics first, alone
Onion, jalapeno and garlic into the processor, pulsed five or six times until the pieces are the size you want.
Doing these first and alone is the difference between salsa and tomato soup. They are the firmest ingredients and they need the most work. Added with the tomatoes, the liquid cushions them and they never break down properly while everything else goes to puree.
Scrape the bowl down before the rest goes in. Onion sticks to the sides and stays in large pieces otherwise.
Then one or two pulses, no more
Remaining ingredients in, cover, and pulse once or twice to combine.
This is the whole texture control. Salsa should have distinct pieces in it. Two seconds too long and you have a smooth sauce, which is a different thing and not what you set out to make.
Pulse rather than run continuously. The difference is meaningful at this stage.
Canned jalapenos versus fresh
Two tablespoons diced from a can, or one medium fresh jalapeno with stem and seeds removed.
They are not interchangeable in the way you might expect. Canned diced jalapenos are packed in citric acid rather than vinegar, so they bring acidity without the sharp vinegary note pickled peppers usually carry.
The conversion given is about two tablespoons of canned per one fresh jalapeno with seeds and veins in. For something milder, start with one tablespoon.
Controlling the heat
The heat lives in the veins and seeds rather than the flesh, which is where most people assume it is.
For mild, remove both from the fresh jalapeno. For very mild, use two tablespoons of canned green chiles instead. As written it lands medium. For hot, use two whole jalapenos with the veins and seeds left in.
Adjust in one direction only. You cannot take heat out once it is in.
It improves overnight
Serve immediately or transfer to a jar and refrigerate.
The next day is better and this is worth planning around. Raw onion and garlic mellow as they sit in the acidic tomato and lime, losing their sharp edge, and the flavours combine into one thing rather than several.
Three to four days refrigerated.
The sodium
Around 533mg per serving across four, which is high for something you eat with chips.
Nearly all of it is the canned tomatoes plus the half teaspoon of added salt. A no-salt-added can of tomatoes brings it down substantially, and you can then season to taste yourself.
Serving
Chips, obviously. It also works on eggs, in tacos, over grilled chicken or stirred into rice. <p>Two cups total, which is a reasonable amount for four people with something to dip. ## Fresh lime, not bottled Half a fresh lime, juiced. Bottled lime juice carries a cooked, slightly dull note that stands out in a recipe with this few ingredients. It is the one thing here that has to be fresh.
Cilantro
Two tablespoons goes in with the final pulses so it stays in visible flecks rather than turning the salsa green. If cilantro is not for you, leave it out entirely rather than substituting; parsley does not do the same job here.
5 Minute Fire Roasted Salsa
Description
An easy blender salsa made with fire roasted canned tomatoes, ready in five minutes and better the next day.
Ingredients:
Instructions
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Add the onion, jalapeno and garlic to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse 5 to 6 times, or until the pieces are your desired size.
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Remove the cover and scrape down the insides of the bowl.
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Add the remaining ingredients, cover, and pulse once or twice more to combine. Do not over-process.
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Transfer to a serving dish and serve immediately, or transfer to a pint sized mason jar and refrigerate. It becomes more flavourful the next day..
Note
Pulse the onion, jalapeno and garlic alone first, then add everything else and pulse only once or twice. Over-processing turns salsa into sauce. Fire roasted tomatoes bring smokiness that plain canned tomatoes do not; a pinch of smoked paprika partly compensates if substituting. Canned diced jalapenos are packed in citric acid rather than vinegar, and roughly 2 tablespoons equals 1 fresh jalapeno with seeds and veins. Heat lives in the veins and seeds. Use fresh lime, not bottled. Nutrition per serving from source: 33 calories, 7g carbohydrates, 1g protein, 1g fat, 533mg sodium, 1g fiber, 3g sugar. Sodium is high for a dip; a no-salt-added can reduces it substantially. Keeps 3 to 4 days refrigerated and tastes better the next day.
