TABLE SALSA
About 2 ½ cups
This is our favorite salsa for everyday use: It is flavorful, convenient, and ready in the time it takes to drink a beer. Because it is made with canned tomatoes, this is the perfect salsa to make when tomatoes are not in season.
Add to a dry, medium heavy skillet over medium heat:
- 3 green onions, white parts only (reserve the green tops)
- 3 garlic cloves, unpeeled
- 2 or 3 fresh chiles such as serrano, jalapeño, habanero, manzana, or a combination, to taste
Cook, turning the pieces occasionally, until the contents of the skillet are lightly charred all over, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, drain off about half of the juice from:
- One 28-ounce can whole tomatoes
Add 2 of the tomatoes to a food processor along with:
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 teaspoon distilled white or cider vinegar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin, toasted before grinding, if desired
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander, toasted before grinding, if desired
- ½ teaspoon oregano, preferably Mexican
- (¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper or chipotle chile powder)
When the vegetables are charred, peel the garlic cloves, remove the stems and seeds from the chiles, and cut them into chunks, along with the green onion bottoms. Add the garlic, chiles, and green onion bottoms to the food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add the rest of the canned tomatoes along with:
- ¼ cup packed coarsely chopped cilantro
- Reserved green onion tops, thinly sliced
Process until well combined but still a little chunky. Adjust seasonings to taste with:
- Lime juice
- Salt
Serve immediately or keep refrigerated for up to 1 week.