homestyle salsa * salsa casera

alright, so as you may have guessed, mexican food tends to build on top of other recipes.  so the next logical step of course is to transform that lovely flag salad from the last post, into a salsa.

so you put your diced jalapenos, tomato and onion into a baggie.  you add a minced garlic and some salt to taste into the baggie. (it's better to undersalt then to oversalt aka less is more).

close the zip at the top and jostle the contents of the bag a little to make sure to incorporate everything as best you can.  stick the baggie into the fridge for a few hours.  i usually do it overnight so i don't get the urge to go lookin' for salsa.

the next morning you remove the baggie from the fridge.  you will notice it has released some juice.  you let it come somewhat to room temp whilst you chop up some fresh cilantro roughly.

finally, you then find a pretty serving dish and pour your salsa into it and then top it with the cilantro.  take a spoon and carefully mix the salsa as to incorporate the cilantro.

voila! thar you have it folks!  you are now listo to eat chips con la salsa! did i mention i love recipes that can be built upon to create different things?  well i doodily doodily do!

mexican flag salad * pico de gallo

since i touched upon this salad on my last post, i figured i would tell you how to prepare it.  we eat this with chips and use it to top many a dish--full of food.

first you want to don some food service gloves.  you rinse and dry some jalapenos or serrano peppers.  we highly prefer these to be green in color. and you slice.

you then take some rinse and dried roma tomatoes. (this is usually used in mexican kitchens) and dice.

you then take rinsed and dried white onion and you dice.

mix all three ingredients in a nice serving bowl, or lay each ingredient next to the other on a nice serving  platter (cobb style)   and there you have it!  mexican flag salad. ique viva mexico! ique viva!

Notes:
 try to get the dice equal in size.  be very careful when chopping peppers that you do not touch any sensitive part of your body like your face because the oils will sting.  even if you wash your hands with soap in water, the oils can still remain and you will be in pain!!! i can't stress this enough: don gloves before you begin choppin' those peppers!!!