My take on PW's "Restaurant Style Salsa". Her recipe is quite good, but I added...

M

michael-in-phoenix

Well-known member
...two fresh poblano (ancho) chiles, roasted, peeled, stemmed and seeded. A little more garlic, too.

This is really good, basic salsa. It tastes as good as the best restaurant salsa here in the southwest, I think.

Red Tomato Salsa

1 can (28 Ounce) whole tomatoes with juice

2 cans (10 Ounce) Rotel (diced tomatoes and green chiles)

1/4 cup chopped onion

3 cloves garlic, small chop

1 whole jalapeño, quartered and sliced thin

2 poblano chiles, roasted, peeled, stemmed, seeded and medium diced

1/4 teaspoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 cup cilantro (more to taste)

1 lime, juiced

(Note: this is a very large batch. Recommend using a blender, or a 12-cup food processor, or you can process the ingredients in batches and then mix everything together in a large mixing bowl.)

Combine whole tomatoes, Rotel, onion, jalapeño, poblanos, garlic, sugar, salt, cumin, lime juice, and cilantro in a blender or food processor. Pulse until you get the salsa to the consistency you would like---I do about 10 to 15 pulses. Test seasonings with a tortilla chip and adjust as needed.

Refrigerate salsa for at least an hour.

Serve with tortilla chips or cheese nachos.

ENJOY!

Michael

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2010/01/restaurant-style-salsa/

 
yes, very good and super easy. I have added Hatch chilies. good reminder to make soon---and share!

 
Never occurred to me to make my own salsa. I have made bruschetta, never thought of Salsa. I like

that the tomatoes are from the pantry. Thanks for posting. We go through a lot of salsa, and I have been surprised by the prices!

Best,
Barb

 
I hope you have tried the typical salsa served with a bowl of chips in most..

...mexican restaurants here in the southwest. If you have, you will appreciate PW's recipe even more.

You might have to add a bit more salt, but if you make it using the products she mentions, you will get a tasty and reliable salsa.

I've made good salsa's before, mostly 'by eye'. I've used fresh tomatoes, a combination of fresh and canned, but never canned only. I was skeptical, but when I tasted it, I knew she had nailed it!

Michael

 
I make a variation of this and sell it.

28 oz Hunt's Petite Diced Tomatoes
28 oz Rotel Original
4-5 cloves garlic
1 bunch cilantro
1 teaspoon or so of salt
Puree it with my stick blender. It's delicious. I sell a lot of it to people who don't like "chunks". It is really good. I have frozen it before, and it tastes fine, but the consistency is off a little.

 
Made this today to go with Tostito's Scoops and Ina's Steak Sandwich. I had

Hatch Chilis in the freezer so used that instead of Poblano. I made half and it is still a bunch. Just did a taste taste after I let it sit for a couple of hours. Very nice. PW usually delivers on the flavor.

 
Michael, explain the Rotel thing please

Why do so many recipes call for Rotel? I can just add a can of green chiles to diced canned tomatoes and pretty much get the same thing. I have tried the Rotel tomatoes and chiles but don't really see why they are so widely used except for the convenience factor. Clue me in please.

 
I feel the same way...plus I'm bugged when canned tomatoes/chiles have tips/skins still

on them and Rotel has a lot.

 
I guess it's the convenience factor because you can do the same

as you said. It seems I usually don't have a can around when I need it so I usually make it myself. But, I think the Rotel is different for some reason but not really sure why. I buy the mild and it is pretty spicy for some reason. We like spicy but I can't do hotter than the mild version.

 
I think it is because those long years ago that Rotel and queso

to make a nacho cheese dip, it was "exotic" and new to those of us not in the Southwest, it was about the only way you could get green chiles!! Hard to believe now, but in the 70s, that was the way. Now you can buy Hunt's with green chiles!!

 
I used Rotel in this recipe because I wanted to try it 'as written'.

We have store-brand (generic) 'fire-roasted tomatoes with green chiles' here. I've used those, and they are good too.

Rotel started showing up in all our markets about 10 years ago. It was new to me. It started in Texas, so maybe it was a regional thing. I don't really know. Maybe PW has a 'deal' with them?

I've used other brands and the taste is not markedly different. I'm sure adding green chiles to whatever canned tomato product you have available is a totally acceptable substitute.

In this recipe, I think the addition of the fresh roasted poblanos added way more benefit than anything else. The flavor is slightly sweeter (so I add a little less sugar) and has an earthy flavor that I love.

Michael

 
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