Quick Easy Homemade Salsa

I love entertaining.  I love that my house is the center-point for many parties, backyard barbeques, holidays, and any time my family members want to “mooch a meal” as we affectionately refer to it.  But while I love being the host, it is often difficult to throw together a decent spread when I’m walking at the door at 6:00 pm and company is expected imminently.  This salsa recipe is my go-to secret weapon in such instances.  I make sure to always have the necessary pantry ingredients on hand, in preparation for last minute company.

This recipe can be made in 10 minutes flat and apart from some quick rough chopping, it comes together in the food processor.  I have made salsa from scratch before- I’m talking blanching, peeling and chopping the tomatoes, cooking everything on a stove and pulling out the canning equipment.  Given how delicious and quickly this salsa comes together- I don’t think I will ever bother again.  [Although I am a glutton for punishment, I really shouldn’t say ever!]

Make sure to purchase fire roasted tomatoes, not regular diced tomatoes.  They make all the difference.  They are also great in most tex-mex dishes, adding a smoky complex flavour without any work.  If you can’t find the canned green chilies, just add another jalapeno pepper, or leave it out entirely (depending on your spice tolerance).  Similarly, you can chose to seed the jalapeno peppers or not, depending on your preference.

This recipe makes a lot of salsa.  If you only have a few people coming over, just halve the recipe.  It works just fine.

This salsa really benefits from a food processor as it lets you process without completely pureeing the ingredients.  If you don’t have one, you could use a blender, just try to lightly pulse so that it remains slightly chunky.

The salsa will keep well in the refrigerator for several days.

Quick Easy Homemade Salsa
The Cafe Sucre Farine

2 14 oz. cans of fire-roasted tomatoes
1/2 cup jarred roasted red peppers, drained and roughly chopped
4 ounce can green chilies, roughly chopped
1/2 small red onion, roughly chopped
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, leaves and stems, packed
6 medium green spring onions, cut into two inch pieces
3 medium garclic cloves, peeled
2 small jalapeno peppers, roughly chopped
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cumin
2 Tbsp fresh lime juice

Drain the canned tomatoes and reserve the juice. Combine all ingredients except the reserved tomato juice in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse on and off until all of the ingredients are finely chopped and the salsa is a desired consistency. If you prefer a thinner salsa or smoother salsa, pulse additional times and add the reserve tomato juice a splash at a time.

Add additional salt, lime or cumin to taste.