Salsa seems to be one of those ubiquitous things that you don't notice is good until a really good one is tingling its way to your belly. Such an experience happened to me at Tacos Por Favor on Olympic in Santa Monica. Delicious, fresh, mexican food, but oh lord that salsa! I asked the guy behind the counter, doing my best to bat my eye-lashes without it looking like I have a twitch, what the recipe was for their awesome salsa. "It's a secret." Of course it is. Everything good is a "secret," passed down through generations. The "secret" is inevitably anticlimactically dull, like, nutmeg or a pinch of cinnamon or something.
Well, I did a little tasting and I think my salsa is pretty close. I know it's not exactly the same by any stretch. Mine is thicker and a little brighter and fresher tasting, and I have a sneaking suspicion that cocoa powder is in theirs, but still, two good salsas floating around is not a bad thing. So whoever you're rooting for tomorrow, enjoy!
Ingredients:
Ingredients:
1 28 oz can whole tomatoes
1 12 oz can whole tomatillos
1 7 oz can chipotle peppers in abodo sauce
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 bunch cilantro
1/2 a red onion
8 garlic cloves
2 tablespoons whole grain dijon mustard
2 teaspoons pico pica sauce
1/2 a lemon, juiced
1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup Pale Ale
Salt
Directions:
Place the garlic, onion, and cilantro into a food processor. Blitz for a few seconds. Next, pour the liquid in the can of tomatoes, plus 4 tomatoes, 4 tomatillos plus 1/4 cup of the pickling liquid into a food processor, and two chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. Add everything else. Blend the whole thing and taste. It should be on the liquid side rather than the "Pace Picante" side. Personally, I like salsa that is near liquid or in complete chunks. Not that weird marinara-esque in between. Salt to taste and there you go: a super simple, easy salsa that will keep them coming back for more.
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