“One summer I was gifted a bunch of very nice roma tomatoes by my neighbor, Olga. At first I thought I would probably use them to make some Tomato Sauce, but I had eaten a lot of pasta lately. So I decided on salsa. Nice and fresh and just like what you would get in a Mexican restaurant. I made two batches, one with a chipotle pepper and they both are excellent. This recipe will lend itself well to different variations. I very much want to try this with grilled pineapple and/or mango. Strawberries might also do well.” – April Ferre
Salsa Roja
Ingredients
- 1 Dried Ancho Chile
- 6 Roma Tomatoes
- 1/4 White Onion Cut Into 2 Wedges
- 1/2 to 1 Serrano or Jalapeño Pepper Stemmed & Seeded
- 2 Cloves Garlic
- 2 Tablespoons Fresh Lime Juice
- 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 Tablespoon Honey
- 1 Teaspoon Sea Salt
- Heaping 1/4 Cup Cilantro Chopped
Instructions
- Using scissors, trim the stem off the ancho chile and then cut down one of the edges so that you can spread it open and lay it flat. Remove any seeds.
- Heat a large, heavy duty, dry skillet (cast-iron preferred) over medium heat. Toast the ancho chile for 1 to 2 minutes per side or until fragrant. Remove chile to a bowl and cover with water; set aside to soak.
- Add the whole tomatoes, onion wedges and pepper. Cook until the tomatoes and pepper are browned and blistered an the onion is charred and soft. Rotate the vegetables to char on all sides and remove to a bowl as they are ready. This process should take 15 to 20 minutes.
- Roughly chop all the vegetables as well as the rehydrated ancho chile and add to a blender. Add garlic, lime juice, olive oil, honey and sea salt. Blend until of desired consistency, but do not puree.
- Add the chopped cilantro and pulse until combined.
- Taste and season with additional lime juice, salt or honey, to taste.
- Best if flavors are allowed to blend overnight. Makes approximately 2 1/2 cups.
Variations:
- Chipotle Salsa Roja: Omit serrano or jalapeño pepper. Deseed one chipotle pepper in abodo sauce, roughly chop and add to blender with charred vegetables along with 1 to 2 teaspoons of abodo sauce, to taste.
Notes
Note on heat: For a spicy salsa, add one whole serrano pepper. If you want something less spicy, reduce to 1/2 or use a jalapeño pepper instead. For mild salsa omit the fresh pepper altogether.
2024 Adapted Recipe – April Ferre – Adapted from Love & Lemons