Recipe - Essential Roasted Tomato-Jalapeno Salsa

1 pound Ripe red tomatoes; (about 2
mediumlarge or 6 to 8
plum), washed
2 lg Jalapenos; washed
3 Cloves garlic; unpeeled
One half teaspoon Salt; divided
One half small White onion; finely chopped
1/3 cup Loosely packed chopped
cilantro
1 One half teaspoon Cider vinegar; optional

To roast the tomatoes: Preheat the broiler. Lay the tomatoes on a baking
sheet and place them about 4 inches below the broiler. Roast until
blistered and blackened on one side, about 6 minutes. Turn the tomato to
roast on the other side. Or place in a foillined heavy skillet over medium
heat. Turn several times during cooking to blacken all around. Remove and
cool. Peel the tomatoes, discarding the charred skins, collecting all the
juices with the tomatoes.
To roast the jalapenos and garlic: Place the jalapenos and garlic on a
broiler pan or in a heavy skillet. Roast, turning occasionally until both
the jalapenos and garlic are blackened in spots and soft, about 5 to 10
minutes. Remove and cool. Pull the stems off the jalapenos and peel the
papery skins from the garlic.
In a food processor fitted with the steel blade or blender, grind the
jalapenos, garlic and One fourth teaspoon of the salt until the mixture is a
coarse paste, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl a couple of
times. Add the tomatoes and pulse a few times until you have a
coarsetextured puree.
Transfer the salsa to a serving bowl and stir in any reserved tomato
juices.
In a strainer, rinse the onion under cold running water, shake off the
excess and stir into the salsa along with the cilantro and, if desired,
cider vinegar. Add water if necessary to give the salsa a thick but easily
spoonable consistency. Taste and adjust seasonings with the remaining salt
if necessary.

Makes about 2 cups; analysis per 1tablespoon serving.

Cook's note: Substitute your favorite chile pepper for jalapenos.

From "Rick Bayliss's Mexican Kitchen" by Rick Bayliss (Scribner, $35)

Tested by Susan Selasky for the Free Press Test Kitchen

6 calories (0% from fat), 0 grams fat (0 grams sat. fat), 1 gram
carbohydrate, trace of protein, 2 mg sodium, 0 mg cholesterol, 2 mg
calcium, 0 grams fiber.

Posted to KitMailbox Digest by "AcaGordie" gordon@acanet.com.mx on May
2, 1998