What Makes A Great Salsa? Salsas and Mexican Cooking

Already some great discussion! Salsa is such an all encompassing term and really so adaptable to tastes. In my family… everyone had their favorite (The table is not set unless there is Salsa… in our house it’s 3 kinds…). For example, my mothers standard salsa roja is almost completely boiled EXCEPT the chars her onion on the burner. She makes in Molcajete and for big batches, she just uses her blender. Always with fresh cilantro… NEVER Garlic…

Not that she doesn’t like garlic… that one is a salsa of charred garlic cloves, charred habanero that are then mashed together with plenty of salt and touch of vinegar. If it was yucatan, it would be a squeeze of sour orange… but we’ve all adapted.

But Salsa of course tastes awesome made from fresh as well. There is something about fresh white onion, cilantro and a slightly over ripe roma tomato salsa that makes me happy. THIN slices of serrano and a squeeze of lime with sea salt… Top your bowl of beans with this magic and you will be SO HAPPY.

But for a real depth of flavor, you can’t beat a salsa that is made with dried chiles. Even in Mexican markets REALLY GOOD Dried chiles are so hard to find. I get most of mine through penzeys and pay a price I would never admit to my mom. But she admits that my Chile Colorado and Salsa Boracha are tops. Smokey salsas like this especially amazing with anything that has cream or cheese like Sopes…

Finally… I appreciate Rick Bayless’ attempt at Salsa theory. I have the book and the biggest issue I have is that he doesn’t “Grill” that onions and garlic as much as “Roasts” them. They are tasty but it imparts a sweetness that just PERMEATES the salsa making it taste off IMHO. It’s better just to do what he says (Slice up the onions in thick rings) and Grill them with a grill pan. Or as my sweet Grandfather in Law does… I you are already making your asada… Bring the salsa ingredients along on the grill…

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There are probably a million and one salsa recipes out there. Here’s what makes a table salsa great, or at least truly memorable for me, your mileage may vary :grinning:

  1. Balance of flavors :yum:…this is super important for me, are all the ingredients playing well and harmonioulsy with each other. No one flavor should predominate, nor should there be any discordant flavors or notes.
  2. Has acid - lime or vinegar - been used where needed.
  3. What is the texture like? I’m not overly fond of chunky salsa, but I do like some texture in most raw salsas.
  4. If the salsa is based on fresh globe or roma tomatoes, they’d better have some flavor. Flavorless tomatoes allow the onion and cilantro to take centerstage and that’s not their purpose.
  5. Thin, watery salsas are not my preference.
  6. Does the salsa go with what is being served. Combinations such as pork and salsa verde, shrimp and chipotle, beef and ranchera, are classics for a reason, the salsa enhances the protein and in Mexico, it’s all about the sauce, not the protein.

Remember in Spanish salsa simply means sauce. So mole is a salsa, pipian is a salsa, Salsa de Inglesa is Worchestershire sauce :crazy_face:, salsa de pescado is (Asian) fish sauce and you’ll recognize the every popular salsa soy.

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For me, it’s not just how much salt, but which salt… It has to be sea salt in my fresh/semi fresh salsas. Too much Kosher or table salt doesn’t sit right. Mexican sea salt is sold by the huge bag in most Mexican Markets. The one Trader Joes sells in the tube is also quite good. I swear, sometimes I feel like I freak because I’m very salt sensitive and yet I have like 10 different salts in my pantry :grimacing:

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@Dommy! Bring it!

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Me too.

I think you’re right about the over-salting at restaurants. They’re using iodized or some other crap salt.

Dommy’s right, Mexican sea salt is great stuff. I used to bring pack a kilo of the stuff at a time. Now I can get some decent sea salt at the Mercado Hidalgo in Tijuana.

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Love salsa. I often choose where to eat based on their salsa. Been experimenting at home ever since an epic Chowhound thread by Redmeat trying to recreate King Taco’s salsa roja.

Salsa macha: chile morita and garlic deep fried And blended with oil and salt, goes well with everything (think grandma’s Lao gan ma chili crisp)

I love the depth of flavor grilled poblanos add to salsa verde.

Love salsas made with just dried chiles such as chile morita + chile de arbol (no tomatoes/tomatillos).

So many great possibilities!

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Not only that, but they use it as a short cut like how they use butter and cream cheese (you’d be amazed at how many dishes "chefs’ add cream cheese to). Instead of layer flavors, they just throw richness at you.

Salsa does need salt, but if it has a well balance of ingredients it doesn’t need like a handful either. Aside from my growing sensitivity of it, My mother never used too much salt in her cooking… in fact, depending on what she is making her salsa for, she holds back. During dinner… she’s going to have one dish that has a good spoonful of Knorr Suisa in it (And although it’s super salty, it also is an Umami bomb) or may have a sprinkling of Cojita cheese. Her “Famous” cooked salsa is bright and rich. But not salty because it’s amazing with CHIPS!

Plus Mexicans are notorious with their salt shaker twitch (You know you are at a good Taco stand in Mexico… if there are salt shakers on the table!). There is something about getting that kiss of salt and then rush of goodness. Tajin has made an empire on it… :laughing:

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Totally forgot about salsa macha. I love this stuff, and you’re right, it does go with everything and it keeps in the fridge, seemingly forever. Now… to find some moritas.

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thread derail: anyone have a good calabacitas recipe?

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On of my favorite summer salsa is Salsa de Molcajete

This gives some really interesting texture. The crushing/grinding of the ingredients rather than than the liquifying of blender blades changes the flavors as well. In a good, well seasoned molcajete, you’ll also pick up tiny bits of pulverized volcanic rock which also add to the flavor.

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Tomatoes? No tomatoes? Cheese? No cheese? I often do them stuffed with picadillo.

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zucchini, with or without tomatoes, no cheese. i want to eat it as a side veggie dish.

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I make this recipe at least once a year. It keeps in the fridge for a good long time.

Salsa de Chile Ancho y Miel

  • For the Chile Puree

    • 3 each ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
    • 3 Cups boiling water
    • 1/4 of a white onion
    • 1 clove garlic, peeled
    • Sea salt to taste
  • For the Sauce

    • 1 1/2 Tbls canola oil
    • 1/2 a white onion finely minced
    • 1 Cup of the chile ancho puree
    • 1/2 Cup honey
    • Pinch of ground cinnamon
    • Pinch of ground cloves
    • Sea salt to taste
  • To make the chile puree

    1. Heat a comal, or large, heavy bottomed skillet over medium high heat.
    2. Add the chiles and toast turning occasionally until they become pliable and fragrant. It takes about a minute. Try not to over toast or the chiles will become bitter
    3. Put the chiles in a large bowl and pour the boiling water over them. Weight them down with a plate to keep them under the water if they tend to float. Let soften for about 20 minutes and then drain reserving the soaking water
    4. Taste the soaking water, if it is very bitter, discard it and use plain water in it’s place. If the soaking water is not bitter go ahead and use it in the next steps.
    5. Put the softened chiles in a blender with 1/2 Cup of the soaking water (or water if the soaking water is bitter), along with the onion and garlic and process until smooth. Add more soaking water if needed to make a smooth puree.
    6. Strain the puree through a fine mesh strainer into a small bowl. Season with salt to taste.
    7. The puree yields about 1 cup.
  • To Finish the Sauce

    1. Heat the oil in a medium sauce pan over medium heat. Add the finely minced onions and saute, stirring occasionally until the onions are golden. About 4 minutes
    2. Stir in the chile puree, honey, ground cinnamon and cloves and adjust seasoning with salt if needed.
    3. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer, stirring occasionally until slightly reduced. about 5 minutes.

NOTES

  • Sauce can be made up to 2-weeks in advanced

  • Dried chiles love salt. The amount of salt needed to make the chile puree is at least 1 tsp. and probably more. Do not be afraid to use salt in the puree it will really need it.

  • This sauce works well with salmon, halibut and other firm fish, shrimp or scallops. Also works really well with chicken and pork including pork ribs, especially grilled chicken and pork.

  • The chile puree can also be made with chile guajillo. Substitute 8 chile guajillos for the 3 anchos and increase blending liquid from 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup. Guajillos are hotter and less sweet than anchos, the sauce will be totally different.

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Let me look through my recipes and see what I’ve got.

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Yum!

Get Mexican Squash if possible. Sprouts will have it.

Cut long wise and then across. You want little half moon shapes. Not too thin. not too thick. I usually about two or three depending on how much I want to make…

For the tomato, you can use traditional, roma but I find Cherry tomatoes give a wonderful sweetness so about a handful of those, you don’t need a ton. Unless you want to be more tomato forward.

This is the season of Cabacitas because of fresh corn! So take a ear and cut off the kernels.

Finally, take a white onion (Sweet/Yellow is fine too) and slice it into thick rings and then chop. You want good size pieces but for it to integrate. You can also add garlic… I seldom do… but if you like… add it in slices (like take the clove and slice it into sheets long or width wise.

Get some olive oil and then add the onion so they are slightly sweated. Then add the corn and then, if you have it… shake some Penzey’s Salsa y Pico or Tajin (YES TAJIN!) as it cooks. Then add the cabacitas, tomato, garlic if you are adding and some salt. Cover and simmer for about 10-15 minutes. Occassionally stiring.

Once done, I add Epazote (You can also get from Penzeys) or Mexican Oregano. For some reason I am not a fan of Cilantro in this. But use which ever you prefer.

Now you say you want to use this as a side… which is delicious. But also… if you can get a Los Pericos Tostada… Get some smashed black beans and put it all over the tostada and top it with the calabacitas. Add Cheese or just a good shake of Valentina… It’s an amazing lunch…

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thank you so much!

I need to try this with my next batch of smoked tomato salsa.

Tomatillo, ancho, dried habanero salsa. Not sure if strange but I really like my salsa warmed up.

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