Filla Yourself Up Salsa

I crave salsa, good salsa and I struggle, deeply struggle to satisfy this craving with anything from a jar in the fridge. In my quest for the perfect salsa, the truth is that no jar can compare with the best restaurant style salsa’s I have had. So I went on a quest to replicate the best. The standard was set high as the best salsa I have ever had is from a little Mexican restaurant in Westmont IL called Las Palmas. Their chips and salsa are legend and now I bring you this home version reminiscent of Las Palmas. Their salsa has a perfect balance of spice with heavy black pepper and a light jalapeno kick. It is also slightly chunky, but with smooth tomato puree. Onions and garlic, lime and cilantro are also star players with a touch of cumin. I tried all types of tomatoes in my testing and trust me when I say diced tomatoes are the only kind to use. In this recipe I used diced tomatoes with green chile’s for the win. Once you try this recipe you will never be the same and no jar will ever be able to satisfy “the crave”, so be warned. Proceed with caution.

Recipe

Step 1: In a pestle and mortar crush the following into a past

I teaspoon chopped garlic
1/2 teaspoon peppercorns
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds

Step 2: In a food process or Vita Mix Blender place the following in this order

2 14.5 oz cans of diced tomato’s and green chiles

1/3 diced onion

1 tablespoon Fire Roasted La Costena Whole Pepper Toreados (jalapeño’s)

2 tablespoon of the toreados juice

1 tablespoon diced and seeded Fresh Jalepeno

1/2 fresh squeeze Lime juice

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup lightly packed Cilantro Leaves. Some stems are okay but son use the long thicker stem pieces.

Add the crushed spices from the Pestle and Mortar

Step 3: The best part of this recipe is that you choose the consistency. I pulse mine continually on and off until well blended but slightly chunky. If you prefer more of a puree, blend longer, Its up to you.

The reason the pestle and mortar works so well is that you don’t leave up for chance how blended the garlic becomes. I have found when I don’t grind it by hand I sometimes end up with chunks of garlic that over power the bite and the other bites are left without. I am also careful not to use too much garlic as a little goes a long way especially when grinding it by hand. The end result is the perfect balance of garlic in every single bite. Finally can we talk about the peppercorns and cumin seeds? The seeds and peppercorns explode with flavor when grinded by hand. You get a depth you just don’t get from store bought ground spice. Again, a little goes a long way so be careful not to over do it. I have ruined too many batches by being too excessive with my spice, especially the garlic. But this recipe is fool proof and following it precisely will yield exceptional results. It is Simple and easy and while it wont be the same without the La Costena Toreados, if you have to use ordinary pickled Jalepeno’s it will still be good, just not fantastic. I guess the same is true with pepper and cumin, if you have to use the powdered stuff, try it out and let me know how it goes.

Step by Step Photo Guide