Salsa time!

Wes is out of town. That means I can make salsa. Batches and batches of goodness, that stink up the house with ingredients like roasted peppers and onions (Wes is NOT a fan of peppers and onions). Today I made red and green salsa. The green has been a difficult journey. Today I MASTERED it!!! It tastes almost exactly like my favorite restaurant, Rancho de Tia Rosa, in Mesa, AZ. Swoon. 

Here is what I did (these recipes are not an exact science—that's why I love salsa—just add or remove whatever you do/don't like):

Amazing Tia Rosa inspired tomatillo salsa ("salsa verde")

Ingredients:
• A lot of tomatillos, fresh (I think I had maybe 10 or so), quartered and cored
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 jalapeño
• 1 shallot (for a milder taste...a regular onion ruined the flavor)
• Cilantro (as much as you like—I think I used a whole bunch because I love cilantro)
• Sugar (I poured a little in to start, then increased to taste, depending on how sweet you prefer)
• 1 jar La Victoria salsa verde (or the like), to add bulk to the texture and enhance the flavor
• Lime juice
• Salt/Pepper

Method:
• Chop and core the tomatillos, then put them in a pot with a little olive oil, salt, and splash of water over medium high heat. Cover and wait for them to soften.
• While you are waiting on the tomatillos, roast the jalapeño, garlic and shallots in the oven (I broiled on high until the edges started to brown).
• Mash the tomatillos down as best you can in the pot, then transfer to the food processor.
• Add all ingredients to the food processor (including jar of La Victoria), and blend well. Add more salt/pepper/squeeze of lime/sugar to taste.
• Try not to eat the ENTIRE batch in one sitting. :)

Roasted Red Salsa

Ingredients:
• 10-15 Roma tomatoes, halved and cored
• 1-2 shallots
• 2-4 garlic cloves
• 1-2 jalapeños
• Bunch of cilantro
• Small can chopped/sliced/diced black olives
• Lime juice
• Salt/Pepper to taste

Method:
• Roast tomatoes, shallots, garlic, and jalapeños in the oven on a high broil for about 10 minutes (or until they start to char—watch out that you don't scorch the garlic, though).
• When they are done, put everything BUT the tomatoes in the food processor and finely chop.
• Add tomatoes and pulse until you reach desired texture.
• Add any extra lime juice/salt/pepper to taste.
• Enjoy!!