Date: 26 Jul 1993 17:53:39 GMT
Here are Some easy salsa recipes. Fresh ingredients are best, but in the dead of winter when you are snow bound you can get a reasonablely good salsa out of canned tomatoes and peppers, so I have included a recipe. Also, tortilla chips can be made at home. An alternative to chips for your salsa-- serve rounds of a good, soft french bread, or sourdough bread, lavishly spread with sour cream and heaped with salsa. Yum!
Making your own tortilla chips: Cut corn tortillas into pie shaped wedges and fry till they seem crispy, but NOT BROWN, in hot peanut oil in a deep fat fryer or fry pan, a few at a time. Drain on paper towels, lightly sprinkle with salt and place in very low heat oven to keep warm and dry out. I tried this with a variety of tortillas, whole wheat, flour, blue corn, and got good results and compliments. Back in the time when I was not so concerned with animal fats in my diet, I used to fry them in bacon fat. They are delicious this way too.
All of these salsa recipes taste better if prepared at least hour ahead of time and refrigerated.
Salsa Cruda (raw tomato sauce)
3-4 tomatoes, chopped, with skins 1-2 green onions, chopped, green tops too 1/4 cup chopped white or yellow onion 1-2 jalapeno peppers if you like it hot 1-2 anahiem or other type of long green pepper 1 Tbs. olive oil splash tabasco sauce 1 tbs. lemon juice 2-3 tbs. fresh cilantro leaves salt and pepper to tasteSalsa from Canned ingredients
1 large can whole tomatoes, chopped 1/2 can chopped Ortega chili peppers 1-2 yellow banana peppers, chopped 1-2 canned jalapeno peppers 1 Tbs. olive oil (or salad oil) 1 Tbs. lemon juice 1/2 tsp. dryed oregano 3 Tbs. chopped onion splach tabasco sauce salt and pepper to taste Chop all ingred and place in covered bowl in refrig to marinate flavors. Keeps for a week.Juevos Rancheros with Red Salsa
Cover the bottom of a frying pan with salsa. Spread a corn tortilla with refried beans and place on top of salsa, making a little well in the center. Sprinkle a couple of Tbs. of grated Jack cheese on top. Break an egg in the well of beans. Gently pour some more salsa on top to cover the egg and beans. Sprinkle top with more cheese. Cover pan and simmer slowly for a few minutes until your egg is done the way you like it. Salt and pepper to taste. Slip onto a plate. Top with some chopped green onion tops and a little fresh cilanto, if you have it.Guacamole (Santa Barbara, CA style)
Using a fork, Mash 2-3 ripe avocados in a bowl. Add 1 Tbs lemon or lime juice. 3 Tbs. salsa salt and pepper to taste keep tightly covered and refrigerated until serving.Guacamole (Mexican style)
3 large avocados, chopped 1 med-sized onion, peeled and chopped 1 med-sized tomato, peeled and chopped 2 small chilies, chopped 1 Tbs. olive oil 1 tsp. vinegar 2 tsp. salt, or less. Mix all ingred. til creamy. Serves 8. Keep covered to prevent oxidation and browning.Salsa Frita (Fried Sauce)
2 med. sized tomatoes, peeled 1 small onion 1 clove garlic 1 canned chili serano 1 tsp salt, or less 2 tbs. olive oil Grind vegies together, add salt and fry in olive oil over low flame about five minutes. Serve hot, yield 8 servings.Salsa De Jitomate Y Queso (Tomato and Cheese Sauce)
2 large tomatoes 4 small green chiles 2 Tbs. fat 3-oz. cream cheese, sliced Heat tomatoes in water to cover and drain. Peel and grind with chiles. Add fat and cheese and the water in which the tomatoes were cooked. Simmer for three or four minutes. Yield 6 servings.Salsa Escabeche Para Carne (Pickled Sauce for Meats)
4 dried chilies 1 clove garlic 1/4 tsp. cumin 1/2 cup vinegar 1 tsp. salt, or less 1 bay leaf 1/4 tsp thyme 1 onion, chopped fine 1 cup zucchini, cooked and diced 1/2 cup peas, cooked 1/2 lb. potatoes, cooked, peeled and diced 2 tbs. olive oil 1/2 pkg. cream cheese. Remove seeds from chilies and soak overnight. Drain and grind with garlic and cumin. Add vinegar, salt, bay leaf, thyme, onion, zucchini, peas, and potatoes. Allow mixture to stand one day or longer. When the sauce is to be served with any meat, add the olive oil. Garnish with very thin slices of cream cheese. The sauce will keep if stored in refrig. Yield 8-10 servings.Salsa Campechana (Campeche-Style Sauce)
1 Cup parsley, chopped very fine 6 cloves garlic, broiled and chopped fine 1/2 tsp. pepper 2 Tbs. vinegar 1 large onion, chopped fine 1/2 cup olive oil 1 Tbs. butter 1 sweet pepper, seeded and chopped very fine. Allow parsley to stand in one-fourth cup of water for 2 hours, or until very soft and drain. Add garlic, pepper and vinegar. Fry onion in hot olive oil until transparent. Add parsely and simmer for ten minutes. Add butter remove from fire when melted and add sweet pepper. serve with cooked fish or cold meats. Yield 6 servings.Chili:
The original Nahautl word for sweet green peppers was chilli.
The Spaniards changed the spelling to chile, and in turn the English and
Americans used chili. Although chili was once limited to green pepper,
it is now used as a generic title for all peppers, etc. In Mexico,
there is endless variety ranging through all degrees of hotness from the
sweet chili ancho to the small hot brown chili piquin. Many varieties are
canned. Where these are not available, various peppers found
in the U.S.A. may be substitued, such as small red Italian peppers; or
chili powder, to taste, with a dash of Tabasco sauce for zest.
For chili ancho --use bell or green peppers
chili poblano -- use bell or green peppers
chili pasilla - use green peppers dried in the sun
chili serrano - use any variety small red or green hot pepper
chili jalapeno -- use any variety small red or green hot pepper
chile verde - use canned green chili peppers (like Ortega brand)
chili mulato - use any hot pepper
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