Recipe Swap

I like mild salsa, so that's what I'll create for you. Remember, all measurements are RELATIVE. I rarely actually use measurements, so do not be afraid to expiriment. I like Tina's recipe. I just have my own taste when it comes to salsa. I did after all, make a lot of salsa in mexican restaraunts. There will be a future post for a different flavored, chunky hot salsa recipe. Have to get cooperation from the husband.

Basic Salsa Ingredients
• TomatoesWe're going to start small. I recomend using canned tomatoes. My favorite for this is diced, as crushed starts tasting like tomato paste. If you want to make the salsa chunky, you can do the blending of seasonings/herbs with ½ of one can in your blender. 2-14 ounce cans diced tomatoes
• HerbsYou can use almost anything and still have a good salsa. Be careful of the kinds you use. Fresh herbs are strong. We want a hint of flavor, a blending. The only kind I like to put in is cilantro. I buy it fresh. They come in bundles. I am unsure how many to use for just 2 cans. I would start with ¼ of the bunch. Remember you can always add, but never take away. Choosing CilantroExamine the bunches at the store. You want, if possible, all the leaves to be bright green. You will need to wash them, set aside to drain a bit. You don't want too much water to dilute the salsa. I can visualize oregano as an addition also.
• PeppersNo, it's not black pepper, white pepper. If you want the pepper flavor with no heat, go with Bell Peppers, it's rare to get a 'hot' one. I recommend Jalapeno or Serrano peppers. They have a little heat, but will give you flavor and ultimately not any 'real' hotness. Choosing your peppersFor mild, you want a light green colored pepper, no black spots (these do not indicate rotting, they indicate hotter). 1 or 2 small serranos or 1 small jalapeno. For the purpose of mild, you will de-seed these. Use sandwich baggies or plastic gloves to do this or your eyes will not thank you. The heat stays on your hands for quite some time. Using a 'paring' knife, cut in half. With the blade of the knife, peel out the seeds and the 'white skin' you see. That white part holds heat also. You can chop if you want, but it is unnecessary as we are going to be using a blender.
• SpicesThis is something you have to be careful with. I have never measured these things. I start by using 'dashes' of each and taste adding more to get the flavor I want. I use garlic powder, salt, cumin. I like garlic flavors so I add more of that more than anything else. The salt is only to enhance flavor, you should NOT be able to taste it. In fact, with a 'perfectly' made salsa, no flavor should 'reach out and grab you'. You should have a hard time picking out which spices/herbs were used. This is my personal opinion and should be taken as such. Do not be afraid to expiriment.

Now we have all of our 'stuff'. This part is easy. Throw it all in the blender. If you have a stick mixer great. One thing though, do not overmix, you don't want to taste tomato sauce. You want it to be smooth. Do put in your spices as they will mix thoroughly into your other flavors. The thing about salsa is, the longer it's been made, the more your flavors will develop. If you are using immediately, then it's ok to adjust your spices. If you are using it later on, adjust spices then. Trust me, I have tasted salsas and they are very different with just one day's difference. Go, expiriment, enjoy the simplicity of salsa with the ability to 'make it your own'. Cooking can be a fun expirience. On a side note, I expiriment with all food I make. If I don't like it, it goes in the trash, No one knows when I make bad things.
Tip: Salsa takes a long time to go bad. I am going to tell you how to 'tell' if it does. This applies to anything with tomatoes in it. If you see it boiling in the refrigerator, it is bad. Not until that point. Salsa is good for a long time. By boiling I mean boiling. You may want to try this to see, I find it highly amusing.