Ricks Salsa Recipes

Steps:

• Set an ungreased griddle or heavy skillet over medium heat. If using dried chiles, break off their stems. Toast the chiles a few at a time. Set them on the hot surface, press flat for a few seconds with a metal spatula (they'll crackle faintly and release their smoky aroma), then flip, and press down to toast the other side. Transfer the toasted chiles to a bowl, cover with hot water, and let rehydrate for 30 minutes, stirring regularly to ensure even soaking. Pour off all the water, and discard. If using canned chiles, simply remove them from the adobo sauce in which they are packed.
• On a heavy, ungreased skillet or griddle over medium heat, roast the unpeeled garlic, turning occasionally, until blackened in spots and soft, about 15 minutes. Cool, slip off the papery skins, and chop roughly.
• Preheat the broiler. Place the tomatillos on a baking sheet, and place in broiler about 4 inches from heat. When, after about 5 minutes, the tomatillos have blistered, blackened, and softened on one side, turn them over, and roast on the other side. Cool completely on the baking sheet.
• Scrape the tomatillos (and any juices that have accumulated around them) into a molcajete, food processor, or blender, and add the rehydrated or canned chiles and garlic. Combine until everything is thick and relatively smooth. For a chunkier alternative, scrape the tomatillos and juices into a molcajete, food processor, or blender, and add the garlic. Combine until everything is coarsely pureed. Chop the chiles into tiny bits, then stir them into the tomatillo mixture. Transfer salsa to a serving bowl, and add enough water to give the salsa an easily spoonable consistency, about 3 to 4 tablespoons. Season with salt, and add sugar if you want to soften its tangy edge.

Steps:

• Heat a large cast-iron skillet over high heat. Add the tomatoes, garlic, chiles and onion and cook, turning occasionally, until charred on all sides, about 3 minutes for the garlic, 4 to 5 minutes for the chiles, 6 to 8 minutes for the onion and 8 to 10 minutes for the tomatoes. Transfer to a plate to cool. When cool enough to handle, peel the garlic.
• Add the tomatoes, garlic, chiles, onion, cilantro, lime juice and 1 tablespoon salt to a blender and puree on low speed, stopping to scrape the sides and bottom to ensure an even texture, until the salsa is almost smooth but some small pieces remain. Season with salt and more lime juice if needed.

Steps:

• Mix onion, jalapeno, lime juice, red wine vinegar, cilantro, salt and.
• garlic powder into small mixing bowl.
• Puree 1/3 of tomatoes in a blender.
• Coarsely chop remainder of tomato in the blender.
• Pour the tomato into mixing bowl. Mix well.
• Refrigerate. Serve after one hour.

Steps:

• Preheat the broiler. Place tomatoes and poblanos on a rimmed baking sheet. Set the baking sheet as close to the broiler as your oven allows, and broil tomatoes and poblanos until darkly roasted and splotchy black on one side, about 6 minutes. Using tongs, turn, and roast the other side. The poblanos may be completely blistered and blackened before the tomatoes are. If so, remove them as soon as they are done.
• Reduce oven temperature to 425 degrees. Separate the onion into rings. On a second rimmed baking sheet, mix together onion and garlic. Roast in the oven, stirring every few minutes, until onions are richly browned and garlic is soft and browned in spots, about 15 minutes. Cool to room temperature.
• Cut out the cores from the tomatoes. Peel, discarding skins and reserving any juices; set aside. Remove the skins and seeds from the poblanos and discard. Chop into 1/4-inch pieces and place in a large bowl.
• In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade, pulse onion and garlic until finely chopped, scraping down the sides. Transfer to the bowl with poblanos. Without washing the processor, coarsely puree the tomatoes with their juice, and add them to the poblano mixture. Stir in canned tomato puree and enough water to give the salsa a saucy consistency. Stir in cilantro and thyme. Season with salt. The salsa may be kept in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.