Charred Red Salsa
If you visit Mexico, I challenge you to find a table without a bowl of salsa. From restaurants to street vendors to home kitchens, Mexican meals revolve around these addictive sauces, ready to be spooned onto any food in reach. Although the popular chip topper claims countless spinoffs, I like my salsa ingredients fi re-roasted to a smoky and earthy finish. This sweltering recipe relies on the Morita chile, a dried and smoked jalapeño pepper that fires up the salsa’s tomato base. And with just the right amount of heat, this thoughtfully balanced sauce buddies up with everything from tortilla chips to omelets to fresh fish or chicken.
Ingredients
Serves 6
Charred Red Salsa:
3 plum tomatoes
3 pieces of chile morita, stems and seeds removed
1 clove garlic (with skin on)
1/4 red onion wedge
1 cup water
1/4 cup cilantro leaves, chopped
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Process
Heat a cast-iron skillet over high heat. Add the whole tomatoes, chile, garlic clove, and onion wedge and char, turning occasionally, until blackened on all sides, about 6 minutes. Remove the chile after 1 minute. Transfer to a plate and cool slightly. Remove the skins from the tomatoes and garlic. In a saucepan, combine the grilled vegetables with the water. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes, until slightly thickened. Transfer the mixture to a blender and pulse to make a coarse salsa. Pour into a bowl and stir in the cilantro and salt. Store in refrigerator up to 3 days.
