[Hokerer]

Timely cartoon in today's funnies...

http://comics.com/arlo&janis/2011-03-11/

[bluesman]

Another great way to serve chips is to buy fresh corn tortillas and cut them into quarters, then fry them fresh in hot oil (350F). When the chips float to the top of the fryer and look slightly toasted, remove them to drain and apply a light coating of salt. Serve them warm with your favorite salsa recipe.

mmm...mmm...good!

[roguejim]

I make my salsa cruda with fresh, ripe tomatoes, white onion, scallions, jalapenos/serranos, cilantro, salt, and lime juice.  Unlike some here, I never run the ingredients through a blender.  Always hand chopped.  Salsa verde is another matter, where I will simmer the tomatillos before running them through a blender before incorporating with other ingredients.

Who has a molcajete and tejolote?  Those nice, black basalt ones are impossible to find here in southern Oregon. 

Anyone have any books by Diane Kennedy? 

[Pawtucket Patriot]

I've got a molcajete, which I've dubbed "El Gordo" since it looks like a fat pig.    And I've got The Art of Mexican Cooking by Kennedy.  But I think one of the most helpful resources I have for Mexican cuisine is my buddy who is the executive chef at a Mexican restaurant here in Minneapolis.  Check out the dinner menu: http://www.barriotequila.com/BarrioDinnerMenu.pdf. 

[bluesman]

I've got a molcajete, which I've dubbed "El Gordo" since it looks like a fat pig.    And I've got The Art of Mexican Cooking by Kennedy.  But I think one of the most helpful resources I have for Mexican cuisine is my buddy who is the executive chef at a Mexican restaurant here in Minneapolis.  Check out the dinner menu: http://www.barriotequila.com/BarrioDinnerMenu.pdf. 

Nice menu and resouce!  I'll bet he has a pretty nice selection of fine Tequila as well.

Do you have any of his salsa recipes?

[Pawtucket Patriot]

I don't have any of his exact recipes, but he freely tells me the ingredients.  I'm sure if I asked him, he'd be willing to give me proportions.  His red chile-based salsa and salsa verde recipe is really similar to Rick Bayless' recipes.  To be honest though, I think my buddy's salsas taste better, and I've eaten at a couple of Rick's restaurants in Chicago.

[bluesman]

I don't have any of his exact recipes, but he freely tells me the ingredients.  I'm sure if I asked him, he'd be willing to give me proportions.  His red chile-based salsa and salsa verde recipe is really similar to Rick Bayless' recipes.  To be honest though, I think my buddy's salsas taste better, and I've eaten at a couple of Rick's restaurants in Chicago.

No worries...I was just curious.

I'm not sure, but I would guess that in the restaurant business, good or secret recipes are to be gaurded and treasured.

[euge]

I bought 13.5 pounds of Hatch green chiles last weekend. Dehydrated about a third of that- enough to jam-pack a gallon freezer bag full. The other 2/3 got roasted on the egg. Sorry no pics...

Made a batch of chile verde or "green salsa" last night for a coworkers birthday today. Got a lot of complements. Went crazy over it, asking in amazement how the white guy made this salsa.

Here it is:

1/2 white onion diced
3 garlic cloves chopped
3-5 roasted and peeled Hatch green chiles depending on size.
2 tsp of salt
1 cup of water.
Juice of 1/2 lime

Soften onions and garlic in saucepan. Add to blender with the rest of the ingredients and pulse until well incorporated. Adjust salt and water if needed.

Very picoso.

Also made a batch of my regular quickie salsa subbing in some of the dried and fresh chiles. Not so hot but not almost pure chile either...

[Pawtucket Patriot]

Euge,

I googled hatch chiles because I hadn't heard of them before. Are they basically fresh New Mexico chiles (as opposed to fully ripened/reddened and dried)?  

Next weekend is my family's third annual "mole fest.". Going to do black, green, and red moles in cazuelas over an open flame. There will be plenty of homemade salsa too. Maybe micheladas thrown in for good measure.  Not bad for a bunch of gringos in Minnesota, eh?  

[euge]

Yes they are the fresh green chiles. In a pinch the canned Hatch chiles work well.

I love mole. Are you making them from scratch? It's a lot of work.

[Pawtucket Patriot]

Yes they are the fresh green chiles. In a pinch the canned Hatch chiles work well.

I love mole. Are you making them from scratch? It's a lot of work.

100% from scratch. The black one takes the longest (the better part of a day). But damn it's good!

[1vertical]

Hint:
For a good interesting diversion try adding some trader joe's apricot sauce to your salsa.

[ryang]

nothin special but delicious for football watching...
a bunch of heirloom tomatos from the garden
a half a red onion
a heavy fistfull cilantro
a palm-full of garlic cloves
dash of vinegar
salt

all blended up in the food processor.  the wife and I polished it off with dinner (pasta with chicken,bacon,sundried tomato alfredo sauce).  eclectic? yes.  delicious? yes.

[jaybeerman]

with my belly full of homemade salsa, I've finally hit my limit (we're talking somewhere around 30 gallons +/-  if you combined all the batches).  which is fine my tomatillos are about ready. 

anybody have a favortie tomatillo recipe - salsa, sauce, whathaveyou

[Pawtucket Patriot]

with my belly full of homemade salsa, I've finally hit my limit (we're talking somewhere around 30 gallons +/-  if you combined all the batches).  which is fine my tomatillos are about ready. 

anybody have a favortie tomatillo recipe - salsa, sauce, whathaveyou

Tomatillo based salsas are my favorite.  I made these a few weeks ago.



For the red salsa, click here (it's a Rick Bayless recipe): http://www.food.com/recipe/chipotle-cascabel-salsa-with-roasted-tomatoes-and-tomatillos-347332

For the green salsa, you'll need:
1 lb tomatillos, skins removed, rinsed
1 bunch cilantro
1-2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
2-4 jalapeno chiles, stemmed and seeded, roughly chopped
Lime
Salt

Place tomatillos on a foil-lined baking sheet and broil until softened and blackened in places.  Turn over the tomatillos and allow the other side to blacken a bit too.  Then, put the tomatillos, along with any accumulated juices, into your blender.  Add the cilantro, garlic, and jalapenos, and blend until smooth.  The cilantro gives this salsa a deep emerald color.  You can add more or less, depending on your preference.  Finish the salsa by pouring it into a bowl and adding fresh squeezed lime juice and salt to taste.  This salsa is so simple, yet ridiculously good.