The most popular salsas are made with tomatoes. Tomatillos are commonly used in place of tomatoes and this type of salsa is usually referred to as salsa verde and is very popular in Mexican and Southwestern cuisine.
Salsa can be uncooked (salsa fresca) or cooked. Salsas always contain chiles in one form or another, either fresh, roasted, or dried. Some of the most often used chiles for salsa are Serranos, Jalapenos, New Mexican, Habanero/Scotch Bonnet, and Ancho/Poblano. There are hundreds of kinds of chiles used for salsa throughout the world, just as there are thousands of salsa recipes. In this article, I will stick with the more traditional recipes. The next article will have recipes for non-tomato/tomatillo based salsas.
This fresh table salsa is more like a relish and is served as a table sauce with tacos, rice,meats and fish. It is also referred to as Pico de Gallo. It should be made and used in the same day.
Salsa Mexicana
from The Art of Mexican Cooking by Diana Kennedy
- 3/4 cup finely chopped tomatoes
- 1/3 cup finely chopped white onion
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 chopped Jalapenos or Serranos
- 1 Tbs. minced cilantro, optional
- salt to taste
- 2 Tbs. lime juice
Mix together the tomatoes, onions, garlic, chiles and cilantro; add salt and lime juice. Set aside at room temperature to season for about 30 minutes. If not all eaten the first day, cook for 20 minutes and use leftovers the next day.
The next recipe is a good basic tomato sauce used for huevos rancheros or for seasoning shredded meat to be used for tacos, burritos, etc.
Salsa Ranchera
from The Art of Mexican Cooking by Diana Kennedy
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
- 2 lbs. (about 4 large) tomatoes, broiled
- 5 Serrano chiles, broiled
- 2 Tbs. Safflower oil
- 2 heaped Tbs. finely chopped white onion
- ½ tsp. (or to taste) sea salt
Put the garlic, unpeeled tomatoes, and fresh chiles in to the blender jar and blend to a slightly textured sauce. Set aside. Heat the oil in a heavy frying pan, add the onion and cook gently until translucent — about 3 minutes. Add the blended ingredients and salt and cook over high, scraping the bottom of the pan from time to time, until slightly reduced and thickened — about 8 minutes. There will be flecks of brown in the sauce; that's OK, it means flavor and looks more interesting.
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