Roasted Tomato-Chipotle Salsa

Skill Level: Intermediate

Skills Attained: Roasting Vegetables

Supplies/Ingredients:

• Baking Sheet (lined with foil)
• Knife
• Cutting Board
• Mixing Bowl
• Tomatoes
• Peppers (sweet and/or hot)
• Cilantro
• Lime Juice
• Olive Oil
• Garlic
• Canned Chipotle in Adobo Sauce
• Ground Cumin
• Salt

Salsa holds a special place in my heart. I believe it's an essential condiment that no home should ever go without. Salsa pairs well with so many dishes: tacos, baked potatoes, hamburgers, and yes, even eggs. The dynamic chips and salsa duo satisfies my snack craving nearly 100 percent of the time. It also brings back fond memories of college as chips and salsa were the Raman Noodles of my college experience. 

Not only does salsa hold a special place in my heart, but I have observed that salsa can be a very personal condiment to others as well. Some people like a lot of heat while others prefer it mild. Some like chunky salsa while others prefer theirs pureed. Still others prefer to fruit their salsa with mangos or peaches. I've tried a number of salsa recipes in my day, and this recipe is one of the best -- if not THE best -- salsa I have ever made! Chunky with some smokey heat. In this post, I'll share with you my favorite salsa recipe....

Salsa is a great way to use your "ugly" produce. As you can see, my tomatoes don't look perfect. They have a lot of cracks and imperfections. I cut up and roast these bad boys, so a perfect exterior doesn't matter.

This recipe is quite adaptable, so you don't need a certain number of tomatoes. The more tomatoes you use, the more salsa you will yield. In this recipe, I use approximately 6 tomatoes, 2 green peppers, and 1-2 hot peppers (depending on how spicy you prefer your salsa). 

Wash the tomatoes and peppers and cut them in half. 

Remove the tomatoes' seeds by squeezing the tomatoes and using your fingers to remove the seeds. By removing the excess liquid, this will help prevent the salsa from being too runny. Cut the peppers in half length-wise as well. 

Arrange the tomatoes and peppers on a baking sheet lined with tin foil; adjust the rack to the highest level; and set the oven to a "high broil". Roast the produce until the skins are charred -- approximately 10 - 15 minutes, but keep an eye on it.

Remove the baking sheet from the oven and allow it to cool until the tomatoes and peppers are cool to the touch.

Remove the charred skins from the peppers and tomatoes. 

Chop the roasted peppers and tomatoes into small pieces. You can really make the salsa your own at this point. If you like chunkier salsa, then cut the pieces larger. If you prefer a smoother consistency, then you could even stick it in a blender or food processor to puree. 

  

Combine the remaining ingredients with the roasted peppers and tomatoes. These ingredients are used for flavor purposes, so feel free to alter the amounts to your liking. Many salsa recipes I see include chopped onions. Personally, I don't care for the taste or texture of raw onions next to the roasted tomatoes and peppers, but you may want to include onions. Note that the chipotle peppers should be finely diced. Even if you like a chunkier salsa, the chipotles pack a lot of heat, and you wouldn't want to bite into a large piece of this smokey chile.

• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cloves chopped garlic
• 1 tablespoon finely diced canned chipotles in adobo sauce
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• salt to taste

Recipe:

• 6 tomatoes
• 2 green peppers
• 1-2 jalapenos (or other hot pepper)
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cloves chopped garlic
• 1 tablespoon finely diced canned chipotles in adobo sauce
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• salt to taste

1. Remove the seeds from the tomatoes by cutting them in half and squeezing out the seeds and excess liquid. Cut the peppers in half length-wise. 
2. Place the halved tomatoes and peppers face down on a tin foil-lined baking sheet. Roast in the oven on "high broil" on the highest rack for 10-15 minutes -- or until charred. 
3. Once cooled, remove the charred skins from the tomatoes and peppers. Chop them to desired consistency and place them in a bowl.
4. Add the remaining ingredients to the bowl and mix with spoon. If you would like a smoother consistency, zip the salsa in a food processor or blender. 

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