Salsa - Restaurant Style
I wanted to make a salsa that was similar to the thinner, restaurant style salsa you get with the tortilla chips. I also wanted to keep the ingredients to things you would have on hand most of the time anyway. Easily made in a blender or one of the bullet type blenders is even better.
I wanted to make a salsa that was similar to the thinner, restaurant style salsa you get with the tortilla chips. I also wanted to keep the ingredients to things you would have on hand most of the time anyway. Easily made in a blender or one of the bullet type blenders is even better.
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 can tomatoes diced, 14.5 ounce- prefer fire-roasted
- 1 small onion cut in large chunks- sweet like vidalia preferred
- 1 each serrano chiles cut in chunks- seeded= less heat, 2 for more heat
- 1 clove fresh garlic, peeled or minced
- 1 each lime juice maybe 1 1/2 based on juice
- 1/3 cup fresh cilantro or 6 cubes of the frozen cilantro available
- peppers optional- if any left over green, red etc. a small amount
- Carbohydrate 3.85685165309262 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 0.137888774818276 g
- Fiber 0.963371551203332 g
- Protein 0.562528664755673 g
- Saturated Fat 0.0212414284744482 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (54g)
- Sodium 189.290490203852 mg
- Sugar 2.89348010188929 g
- Trans Fat 0.0394582863640422 g
- Calories 16 calories
Step-by-step
- In a blender or bullet blender, place half of the can of tomatoes and the rest of the ingredients.
- Pulse/blend until mostly smooth.
- Add the other half can of tomatoes and pulse lightly until consistency you prefer.
Thick, chunky pico de gallo relies on knife work and raw, distinct textures, whereas restaurant-style salsa demands uniform liquefaction and a completely smooth base. Blending all ingredients simultaneously produces an unappealing, uniform puree that lacks body and separates quickly into watery pools. Achieving the correct emulsion requires a two-stage blending technique. Process half the canned tomatoes with the aromatics, spices, and lime juice until completely smooth, then fold in the remaining tomatoes and pulse briefly just to break them down into visible flecks.
Ignoring moisture control in the aromatics remains the primary error that ruins this condiment. Raw onions release harsh sulfur compounds and excess water when pulverized, turning a vibrant sauce bitter and watery within an hour of processing. Rinsing chopped raw onions under cold water for 30 seconds or soaking them in ice water for 10 minutes before blending removes the sharp, acrid compounds while preserving the necessary crunch and bite. Selecting fire-roasted canned tomatoes introduces a necessary smoky depth that compensates for the lack of charring on a grill. Fresh garlic should be added in minimal quantities; raw garlic intensifies significantly during blending, and a single large clove easily overpowers the delicate acidity of the lime juice.
Adjusting batch sizes requires careful attention to blade mechanics in standard countertop blenders. Doubling the recipe works well if the container has a 48-ounce capacity or larger, but halving the ingredients often causes the blades to spin idly above the low volume without catching the solid chunks. Store the finished salsa in an airtight glass jar in the refrigerator for up to five days, allowing the ground cumin and kosher salt to fully hydrate and meld with the tomato sugars.
