Grilling the veggies for this salsa gives them a wonderful smoky flavor. We tested this recipe using Roma tomatoes, but any medium to large tomato will work great. Remember that the better tasting the tomatoes, the better the salsa! If your tomatoes aren't particularly sweet or you like a thicker consistency, simmer the finished salsa for half an hour on low heat to intensify the flavor and cook off some excess liquid. Serve with tortilla chips (of course!), or use atop taco salad or black bean burgers.
Yield: 4-6 servings
Ingredients
- 8 Roma tomatoes
- 1/2 white onion, peeled
- 5 jalapeño peppers
- 4 garlic cloves
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup cilantro, chopped
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat grill to 450°F. Place tomatoes, onion, peppers, and garlic in a bowl. Pour olive oil over vegetables and stir to coat.
- Grill vegetables for 5-10 minutes or until the skin begins to char, turning them occasionally.
- Remove from the grill and use a knife to remove the skin and core from each tomato. Cut the onions in smaller pieces. Remove the seeds and cores from the peppers.
- Combine tomatoes, onion, peppers, garlic, and cilantro in a blender. Blend to desired texture.
Featured Ingredient: Roma Tomatoes
It's hard to beat the flavor of a vine-ripened, homegrown tomato harvested during its peak season. Roma tomatoes are a particularly good variety to use as cooking tomatoes since their flavor is enhanced by heat. Roma tomatoes are meaty (vs. juicy) and have few seeds, so they provide lots of tomato flavor without adding much extra moisture to a recipe — that's why they're ideal for sauces. Romas also freeze well and make an excellent choice for canning, allowing you to have the unbeatable flavor of homegrown tomatoes in your pantry all year. Tomato plants grow during warm weather months and can easily planted in garden beds or large containers. Learn how rewarding it is to grow your own!