Grill-Roasted Salsa
For as easy as it is to grab a jar of salsa off the shelf at the grocery, it is immensely more satisfying making your own. Fresh ingredients for Pico de gallo are a simple first step and only a few extra steps at the store, but let’s be serious. We need to use the grill.
A fire-roasted salsa might sound complicated, but it’s surprisingly easy and quick to prepare. Whereas salsa fresca has a more aggressive bite, thanks to the tartness of fresh tomatoes and raw red onion, the grilled version transforms your vegetable haul into something sweeter and dare I say, even more addictive.
Let’s grab the chips and the charcoal and get grilling.
Grill Roasted Salsa
By Mike Lang
Ingredients:
1 ½ pounds Roma tomatoes
1 jalapeno
½ red onion
Olive oil
2 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
Juice of 2 limes
Kosher salt
Instructions:
1. Slice tomatoes and half of the red onion, in half. Halve the jalapeno removing the stems, ribs, and seeds.
2. Place the tomatoes, jalapeno, and red onion in a medium bowl.
Drizzle the vegetables lightly with olive oil.
3. Prepare the grill for direct medium-high heat (450°F).
4. Place the vegetables in a grill pan, cut side down. Grill over direct heat for approximately 10-12 minutes.
5. Half way through the cook, flip the vegetables. Add the garlic cloves the last two minutes.
6. Remove from the heat. Note: While not a requirement, I like to remove the skin from the tomatoes. This is the time to do it.
7. Add the grilled vegetables to a blender. Add in the cilantro. Squeeze in the juice of two limes.
Run blender till contents are smooth.
8. Salt to taste and enjoy!
