Fresh Heirloom Tomato Salsa
Three peppers, four tomatoes, no cooking
- Tomatoes
- Condiment
- Mexican
- no cook
- 15 minutes
- vegan
Ripe heirloom tomatoes, charred chile, onion, lime and cilantro, chopped by hand and salted to taste. Salsa cruda is the reason to grow more tomatoes than you can eat fresh.
Photo: Popo le Chien · CC BY-SA 3.0 · via Wikimedia Commons · all image credits
Ingredients
- 2 pounds (900 g) ripe heirloom tomatoes, cored and diced small
- 1 small white onion, finely diced (about 3/4 cup)
- 1 to 2 jalapeno or serrano chiles, minced
- 1 poblano or Anaheim chile, roasted, peeled and diced (optional)
- 2 garlic cloves, grated on a Microplane
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
- 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
- 1 teaspoon sugar, only if the tomatoes are acidic
Equipment
- Sharp chef's knife
- Cutting board
- Large bowl
- Citrus juicer
- Molcajete or heavy skillet (optional, for charring)
Why this recipe works
A blender makes salsa in five seconds and produces a pink puree with no texture. Chopping by hand takes a little longer but keeps each ingredient distinct, so every chip picks up a different ratio of tomato, onion, chile and herb.
Ripe tomatoes are essential. Unripe fruit gives a watery, acidic salsa, so if your tomatoes are marginal, roast them first or make a cooked salsa instead.
Heirloom varieties to look for
Roma and San Marzano types give the firmest, least watery dice. For flavour, use a mix: Brandywine or Cherokee Purple for sweetness, Green Zebra for tartness, Black Cherry for depth.
Method
Prep the chiles
For a milder salsa, halve the chiles and scrape out the seeds and pith before mincing. For a hotter salsa, leave them in and mince the chiles very finely so no one gets a large piece.
Roast the poblano
Char the poblano directly over a gas flame or in a dry cast-iron skillet for 8 minutes, turning, until the skin blisters and blackens. Steam it in a covered bowl for 5 minutes, then rub off the skin, stem and seed it, and dice.
Dice the tomatoes
Dice the tomatoes into 1/4-inch pieces over the bowl so you keep every drop of juice. If the salsa looks watery, drain off 1/4 cup of liquid and drink it; there is no reason to waste it.
Season and rest
Add the onion, chiles, garlic, cilantro, lime juice, salt, cumin and oregano. Fold gently with a spoon and taste. Add the sugar only if the salsa tastes sharp rather than bright.
Let it sit
Rest the salsa at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes so the salt can draw out the onion and marry the flavours. Taste once more and adjust the lime and salt.
Serve
Serve with tortilla chips, over eggs, spooned onto grilled fish or folded into rice. It is best within a few hours of making.
Cook's notes
- To reduce onion bite, rinse the diced onion under cold water for 30 seconds and pat it dry.
- Salt the tomatoes in a strainer and let them drain 10 minutes for a thicker, more intense salsa.
- Store with a piece of plastic wrap pressed directly onto the surface to slow oxidation and keep the cilantro green.
Variations
- Add a diced mango or peach for a fruit salsa that works well with pork or fish.
- Blend a quarter of the mixture with a roasted tomato and stir it back in for a salsa that is part smooth, part chunky.
- Add a tablespoon of crushed toasted pumpkin seeds for a pipian-style salsa with body.
Storage
Refrigerate in a glass container for up to 4 days. The salsa will release more liquid and lose some heat over time; stir before serving and brighten with extra lime.
How to serve it
1/4 cup per serving. Serve it within the time noted above for the best texture, because heirloom produce is far less forgiving than supermarket vegetables.
