Fire Roasted Salsa fresca

I was miss authentic Mexican food terribly, so I have been making it myself. Fresh home-made Mexican cuisine is even better than the little hole-in-the-wall places in Austin! This salsa is best when it is made from home-grown ingredients. There is nothing like the fresh wild tastes that come from your own garden. If you don't yet have your own garden, buy the ingredients at the farmers' markets. Grocery stores can be an acceptable alternative for everything but the tomatoes. Do NOT buy your tomatoes at the supermarket. Tomatoes are best when you buy them "vine-ripe."

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees F or 230 degrees C

Ingredients:
2 large tomatoes
1 large onion
1 lime
1 chili--or more if you like it hot
(I use birds eye chilis because I can't find hot jalepeno chilis in Oz)
1 clove garlic
1 bunch of fresh cilantro (coriander leaves)
Salt and pepper to taste

This recipe makes about a cup and a half of salsa, about 12 oz.

1.) Remove the stem spots from the tomatoes and half them. Remove the papery outer layer of the onion and half it. Half the chili. Peel the garlic.

2.) Lay the tomatoes, onions, and chili with the skin side up on a shallow pan with short sides. Toss in the garlic as well.

3.) Roast the pan for 10 to 15 minutes, until the skin on the tomatoes is charred. Because of oven variations in temperature, you may need to roast the pan longer. The charring gives this salsa its "fire-roasted" flavor.

4.) Squeeze the lime juice into your food processor or blender.

5.) Remove the roots from the cilantro.

6.) When the outside layers of the veggies have been sufficiently charred, toss them into the food processor or blender with the cilantro. Process until you like the texture of the salsa.

7.) Cool in the refrigerator then season with salt and pepper to taste. If you intend to serve it with corn chips, remember not to oversalt it. The salt from the corn chips adds to the flavor without too much extra salt being needed.

I make this recipe in huge batches. I usually quadruple it and then freeze it in 1 cup servings. That way, I can enjoy fresh salsa every week while only doing the work to make it once a month.

Variations:
You can make this salsa with a half a mango (peeled and unroasted) and a tablespoon of pineapple juice added in at step 6 to create a different flavor.

Serving suggestions:

I serve this salsa just as it is, with salty corn chips. It makes a great marinade for meat or fish as well. You can also use it over enchiladas if you like. Try it in chile con queso instead of the rotel to add great fresh flavor.

Enjoy!