Basic Pepper Salsa
- Total Time
- 30 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 10guajillo or New Mexico chiles, seeds and stems removed
- 3arbol chiles, seeds and stems removed
- 2 to 3cups boiling water
- 2medium tomatoes, quartered
- 1garlic clove
- ¾teaspoon salt, more to taste
Nutritional analysis per serving (3.5 servings)
81 calories; 1 gram fat; 0 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 0 grams monounsaturated fat; 0 grams polyunsaturated fat; 18 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 11 grams sugars; 4 grams protein; 524 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
In a cast-iron pan set over high heat, toast peppers until their skin deepens in color and you can smell a toasty aroma, about 2 minutes. Remove peppers from pan and place in a large bowl. Pour enough boiling water over the peppers to cover, and let sit for 15 minutes.
- Step 2
In the meantime, wipe out the pan, reduce the heat to medium-high, and set the tomatoes in the pan, skin-side down. Cook until the tomato skins are dark and blistery, about 10 minutes, then mash the tomato flesh with a wooden spoon and continue cooking until completely tender and somewhat reduced, another 5 minutes or so. Remove from heat.
- Step 3
Use tongs to remove the peppers from the water and place in the jar of a blender, reserving the soaking liquid. Add tomatoes, garlic, salt and 1 cup of the reserved liquid. Blend until smooth, then strain through a fine sieve, using a spatula to help you push the salsa through. Taste and adjust salt as needed. Cover and refrigerate leftovers for up to 5 days.
- To make smoky chipotle salsa, add 4 dried chipotle chiles to the bowl of rehydrating peppers, or add 4 canned chipotle peppers, scraped of their adobo sauce, directly to the blender. Serve with fish tacos or quesadillas, or drizzle into black bean soup along with a dollop of sour cream.
- To make harissa, do not toast the chiles. After rehydrating, blend peppers, tomato and garlic with ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil instead of water. Add salt, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, ¼ teaspoon ground caraway seed (to grind, use a spice grinder or mortar and pestle) and 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar and blend until smooth. Taste and adjust salt and vinegar as needed. Use as a garnish for lamb meatballs, grilled chicken, or pan-fried fish. Drizzle over roasted carrots, cauliflower, and sweet potatoes. Stir into stewed chickpeas and vegetable tagines.
- To make romesco sauce, do not toast the chiles. After rehydrating, blend peppers, tomato, and garlic with ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil instead of water. Add salt and 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar and blend until smooth. Pour pepper base into a mixing bowl and add ¼ cup each toasted, finely chopped almonds and hazelnuts. Stir, taste and adjust salt and vinegar as needed. Spoon over grilled scallions or asparagus, use as a garnish for grilled scallops or shrimp, or thin with a little olive oil and toss with roasted potatoes.
Private Notes
Comments
With fresh chilies like jalepeno or serrano a good way to incorporate them into sauce is to char them like other ingredients. Halve them and remove their seeds and veins to reduce spiciness if desired. Add to cast iron skillet with tomatoes above and remove when darkened in spots, about 8-10min.
This is a basic Chile Colorado sauce. Add garlic, oregano and salt to taste. It is not "salsa," at least not in Texas.
For a wonderful concentrate I let chiles sit washed in oil for a few hours, then chop (keep seeds for heat!) and bake at low temps with honey and garlic. Remove, puree with clove and allspice, salt, and a few peppercorns, and keep baking until you have a paste. You could blend in a couple of toasted pecans and a prune if you want. You're veering towards a mole-tasting paste, but that's a good thing right?
Made this last night, it’s excellent, but why does the picture show a thick, chunky salsa, yet, the recipe calls for blending it until smooth, and then pressing it through a sieve with a spatula? I’m more than happy with what I ended up with, it’s just much more of a sauce than what the picture shows.
For a wonderful concentrate I let chiles sit washed in oil for a few hours, then chop (keep seeds for heat!) and bake at low temps with honey and garlic. Remove, puree with clove and allspice, salt, and a few peppercorns, and keep baking until you have a paste. You could blend in a couple of toasted pecans and a prune if you want. You're veering towards a mole-tasting paste, but that's a good thing right?
Is it okay to use dried peppers if one does not have fresh?
Absolutely! They SHOULD be dried, not fresh.
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