This is a flexible recipe. Use more or less of any ingredient. Experiment until you find your happy salsa place.
- 4 medium tomatoes
- 1 small onion
- ½ cup cilantro (or more to taste)
- 4 small green chiles, or more to taste
Chop all ingredients to uniform size. Makes about 1-1 ½ cups of salsa.
Non-Recipes with Fresh Salsa
Guacamole: This one is a no-brainer. Just mash the avocados, add the basic fresh salsa in whatever proportions you like, and voila, some very good guacamole.
Frijoles Charros: Cowboy Beans: Heat a couple of tablespoons of oil in a pot, add a cup of Basic Fresh Salsa and a clove or two of chopped garlic. Sauté for a few minutes, and add about six cups of cooked beans with their broth. Simmer until the flavors meld. For Frijoles Borrachos: Drunken Beans, do the same, but add a bottle of Mexican beer along with the beans.
Puntas de Filete: Mexican Style Beef Tips: Heat a tablespoon of oil in a large skillet. Add 1 ½ pounds of beef tips and a clove or two of garlic. When the beef has browned, add a cup of Basic Fresh Salsa. Cook until the sauce thickens. Add salt to taste. Serve with tortillas, rice, beans, or all of these.
Pollo Empapelado: Chicken in Parchment Paper: Place a boneless, skinless chicken breast filet on lightly greased parchment paper. Spread a little olive oil over the chicken, top with ½ cup of Basic Fresh Salsa for each filet. Tightly fold the edges of the paper to seal in the chicken. Bake at 400°F for 15-20 minutes. This also works with fish filets.
Arroz a la Mexicana: Mexican Rice: Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a saucepan, add 1 cup rice. stir to coat the rice with oil and sauté until the rice is a light golden color. Stir in ½ cup of Basic Fresh Salsa, and cook until any liquid in the salsa has evaporated. Add 2 cup chicken broth. Bring to a boil, turn down heat and simmer, covered, until liquid has absorbed.
Published or Updated on: June 6, 2015 by Karen Hursh Graber © 2015
