All the Spokane food-related stuff that I can't figure out how to wedge into my other blog.

Sunday, September 15, 2013

Roasted everything salsa

My buddy Glen and his wife, Christa have a crazy packed tiny garden. He brought me some of their peppers and tomatoes the other day. This recipe is your standard roasted salsa number... nothing going on special here, but as I made it, I was struck by how damn easy and forgiving it is. This time of year, when fresh tomatoes are everywhere, it's easy to make great food for every meal.

For example, dig this roasted tomato pasta sauce that I *thought* I invented until I saw a similar method in some magazine a year or so ago.

Anyway...


Start by charring your peppers. This silly grill grate thing is excellent on the gas stove top for peppers. Once charred, put them in bowl and cover them with plastic to sweat.


Then broil your tomatoes, garlic, and a couple onions.


Meanwhile, pull the stems (but not the seeds) off the peppers and scrape/pick/peel off the charred bits that come off easily. Toss them all in the food processor.


Char/blacken the tomatoes, onions, garlic a bit.


I press out the liquid from the tomatoes. Otherwise, you end up with a very soupy salsa. If I ruled, I'd save that charred tomato liquid for some brilliant thing.


Toss it all in the food processor. You gotta have cilantro. I happened to have a 1/2 a lime to juice and some chopped red onions too -- so that went in too.


Process it until it's done. Salt and pepper and you're good to go. If I did it again, I'd add some fresh jalapeno and/or habanero for that distinctly fresh pepper heat.