My Frugal Kitchen: Easy Red Salsa

 Salsas are an essential part of Mexican cuisine, and the variations are great.  Simple ingredients combine easily to create rich flavors, and red salsas vary according to the chiles and tomatoes available.  Following are a couple of options.  From there, experimenting with available ingredients is a given.

 Tomatoes:  2-3 lbs, washed, whole

Onion: 1, cut in half

Garlic:  2-3 cloves, peeled

Peppers:  1-2 Jalapeños (more if you like lots of spice) or dried hot peppers (Latino section of the market)

Salt:  to taste

Cover your tomatoes, garlic, and onion with water in a 4 qt. pot. Bring to a boil, and simmer for approximately 20 minutes. If you are using fresh Jalapeño or other fresh peppers, include them with these ingredients. If you are using dried peppers, heat in a non-stick fry pan with a little oil, for a couple of minutes, being careful not to burn. Caution should be used, as the aroma of chile can become overpowering. Just a little heating!

Allow the boiled ingredients to cool a bit. Puree all ingredients in a blender, adding more salt if needed. If there is too much for the blender, do your blending in stages, until all ingredients have been pureed.

 You can roast your tomatoes and peppers briefly before the boiling.  Do so over a grill, or over the gas flame of your stove.  Exercise caution!  Allow the skins to lightly char, then proceed as above.

For variations in flavor and heat, try chiles poblanos, anchos, or for a mild salsa, banana peppers.  For some really serious heat, try a habanero or serrano chile.  Use caution when handling any chile peppers, as the oils can get on your hands, causing burns.  Further, many people learn this the hard way by rubbing an eye after having handled a chile pepper.  This is a very painful experience!

A resourceful friend of mine amazed her husband with a yellow salsa a few years ago; I had shared some of my bumper crop of yellow pear tomatoes, and she put them to good use! 

Red Salsa can also be prepared without chiles, an option for youngsters who may not tolerate the spiciness.

One further suggestion, try adding a half a bunch of chopped cilantro during the boiling for additional flavor, incorporating into the puree.

Salsas are a great accent to tacos and other Mexican dishes.  Enjoy!