From the Back Cover
A glance at Salsa's table of contents--which includes "Hold onto Your Hat" Habanero Salsa, Grilled Pineapple Salsa, Grapefruit-Orange Salsa, Pickled Red Onions, Roasted Pepper Relish with Raisins and Pinon Nuts, and Tomatillo-Papaya Salsa--tempts the palate with sometimes unusual ingredients that make these salsas the luscious offering they are. With full-color photographs and resources for ingredients, cooking terminology and equipment, and chiles, this hot little book offers a complete approach to making the perfect salsa to complement the perfect dish.
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
Introduction
Salsa, the Spanish word for "sauce," can refer to an extremely wide variety of items. Salsas can be fresh (raw) or cooked, thick or thin, chunky or smooth, crunchy, hot spicy, mild, sweet, savory, tart, etc. They can be used as a side dish, sauce, condiment/relish, as an ingredient in other dishes, or even with a dessert. They can be made from vegetables, fruits, or a combination thereof, and are usually served at room temperature, but are sometimes chilled.
Whichever kind you choose, the impact of its flavor depends on the freshness or quality of the ingredients. When good-quality main ingredients such as tomatoes, tomatillos, or mangos are combined with accent ingredients, the result can be a salsa that has the ability to transform the simplest of foods into something fantastic.
Sample recipe:
"Hold onto Your Hat" Habanero Salsa
3 fresh habanero chiles
2 garlic cloves
1/2 medium onion, peeled and cut into half-inch slices
4 ripe plum tomatoes
Juice of 1 small orange
Juice of 1 lime
1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon olive oil
Coarse salt to taste
1. Roast the chiles, garlic, onion, and tomatoes over a direct flame until charred. Cool.
2. Peel the garlic and tomatoes. Remove stem and seeds and finely chop the chiles.
3. Place all ingredients in the work bowl of a food processor and pulse, adding a few teaspoons of water as needed to yield a nicely spoonable consistency. Serve at room temperature or refrigerate until ready to use.
