Ingredients: |
Ingredients: 1 medium-size onion, peeled and cut in half through the stem end
1 poblano pepper
8 plum tomatoes
3 large jalapeño peppers
3 limes, cut in half crosswise
1 canned chipotle chile, minced, with 1 teaspoon can juices (both optional—they reinforce the smoke flavor)
⅓ cup chopped fresh cilantro
Coarse Sea salt
Freshly coarse ground black pepper to taste
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Directions: |
Directions:1. Light the charcoal or wood chunks in a chimney starter. When the coals glow red, dump them into the bottom of the grill and rake them into an even layer.
2. Place the onion, poblano, tomatoes, jalapeños, and lime halves directly on the coals. Cook until charred black on the outside, 3 to 5 minutes per side (6 to 10 minutes in all) for the onion; 1 to 2 minutes per side (3 to 6 minutes in all) for the poblano and tomatoes; and 1 to 2 minutes per side (2 to 4 minutes in all) for the jalapeños and lime halves. Turn the ingredients with long-handled tongs to ensure even cooking.
Transfer the charred vegetables and lime halves to an aluminum foil pan to cool.
3. Using a pastry brush, brush any ash or cinders off the vegetables. Scrape the seeds out of the jalapeños (unless you want a really fiery salsa). Scrape the burnt skin off the poblano, and then seed and core it. Don’t worry about removing every last bit of burnt skin from the veggies: A few black spots add color and flavor.
4. Cut the veggies into 1-inch pieces, then grind the pieces to a coarse puree in a food processor, running the machine in short bursts. Do not overprocess. Alternatively, coarsely chop the salsa ingredients by hand or grind in a molcajete (Mexican lava stone mortar and pestle). Work in the canned chipotle chile with its juices, if using.
5. Squeeze in the juice from the charred limes, followed by the cilantro and salt and pepper to taste: The salsa should be highly seasoned.
Makes 2½ to 3 cups of salsa, enough to serve 4 to 6 |
Personal
Notes: |
Personal
Notes: Must be cooked over charcoal or wood embers. Sorry, gas grillers; for the full effect, you need a charcoal grill for this one.
Garden or farmstand produce (preferably organic) will give you the best flavor—especially if you can find tomatoes that have never seen the inside of a refrigerator
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This recipe for Ember Salsa is from