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Salsa Roja

Ingredients

  • 1 dried ancho chile, stemmed, seeded, and torn into -inch pieces ( cup)
  • 1 pound plum tomatoes, cored and halved, divided
  • 1 to 3 teaspoons minced canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce, divided
  • 1/4 small onion, root end attached
  • 1jalapeo chile
  • 1large garlic clove, unpeeled
  • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves and stems, chopped coarse
  • 3/4 teaspoon table salt

Instructions

Total time: 45 minutes

  1. Process ancho pieces in blender until finely chopped, about 20 seconds. Add one-quarter of tomatoes and 1 teaspoon chipotle. Process on low speed, scraping down sides of blender jar if necessary, until tomatoes are finely chopped and ancho pieces are moistened, about 45 seconds. Let mixture sit for 15 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, line rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Adjust oven rack 4 inches from broiler element and heat broiler. Place remaining tomatoes skin side down on prepared sheet. Add onion and jalapeo and broil until onion and jalapeo are blackened and tomatoes are beginning to turn spotty brown, 4 to 6 minutes. Flip onion and jalapeo, add garlic, and broil until all vegetables are blackened, 3 to 4 minutes.
  3. Transfer jalapeo and garlic to cutting board; let cool. When cool enough to handle, peel garlic. Without peeling, stem and seed jalapeo. Add tomatoes, onion, jalapeo, garlic, cilantro, and salt to blender and process until smooth, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and up to 2 teaspoons additional chipotle to taste; process until smooth. Transfer to serving bowl or squeeze bottle. If desired, stir in water, 1 teaspoon at a time, to loosen to drizzling consistency. (Leftover salsa may be refrigerated for up to 1 week.)

Notes

We wanted our Salsa Roja to have enough heat to hold its own when drizzled over a quesadilla, eggs, or grilled meat, but we wanted more than just spiciness. We added a layer of char flavor by quickly broiling the jalapeo, garlic, onion, and halved tomatoes. A dried ancho chile added a welcome fruitiness. Instead of hydrating the ancho in water and then draining it, we processed it in the blender and then combined it with a fresh tomato. Minced canned chipotle chile contributed a hint of smoke, and by withholding most of the chipotle until the end, we were able to customize the heat level.

Chiles vary in heat level, so adjust the amount of chipotle to your taste. This salsa is great with chips, tacos, fried or scrambled eggs, quesadillas, or grilled meat.

Picture:

Source: Cooks Illustrated

Recipe category: Sides