On the topic of Mexican food- My quick and easy Salsa recipe

 Seriously, there are so many recipes out there for salsa it's mind boggling. All the fresh ones, canned, half and half, cooked, not cooked, slurry, chunky, restaurant copies.... 

So, in the past I used canned diced tomatoes, fresh jalapeños, cilantro, onions, the whole works. I still use fresh jalapeõs, cilantro and onion and before I go into the recipe want to show how I have cut myself twice but it's worth using.

This is a handy little kitchen gadget I bought I don't know where, Target or Bed, Bath and Beyond when they were still in business. It has four different blades, julienne (pictured), slice and two sizes of shredding graters. The julienne blade makes absolutely the best finely diced onions. It can also slice your thumb really well. Yes it has one of those pusher things with the spikes but when doing half an onion with the root end up, it's difficult to keep a grip on it. I usually use the same blade for the jalapeño as well so some seed and membrane go in for good spice flavor.

So, here's my current recipe for salsa, my dads recipe will follow with pictures of the original card it was written on.

Easy Salsa

1- 28 oz can Rotel original tomatoes and chilis (which my local store no longer carries so sub 2-10 oz cans)

1/4 cup finely diced yellow onion

1/2 large jalapeño finely diced (seeds in or out your choice)

Small handful of cilantro, chopped fine

 

1/2 tsp chili powder

1/4 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp salt & pepper

1/4 Mexican Oregano (regular is fine also)

1 tsp lime juice

1/2 tsp worcestershire or soy sauce

1/4 tsp sugar or baking soda

Partially drain the tomatoes if you want a chunkier salsa and if using the large can dump half in a blender, add the other ingredients except the soy sauce and sugar/baking soda. Stir with a spoon, then add the second can/other half of the large can. Pulse beat in blender to desired consistency and taste.

If it is too sharp, add the worceshterhire sauce and sugar/baking soda. 

I use a large wide mouth mason jar, which I believe is a quart and fills up the jar to a little more than 24 oz. 

 

So that's my current recipe because I have forgotten my original but this is close. I have my own copy of my dad's recipe but I need to find the original because his notes on the back are priceless! 

Like so many good recipes from great cooks, a lot of times they don't include obvious things like, 'put in a blender' or other details. 

This is my parent's original recipe card for guacamole. Nothing on the back, it was assumed you just knew to mash the avocados, tomatoes and all that. That is a card that was used a LOT with all those stains on it. That card was hand typed on a 'portable' Olympus typewriter that was still around when I was in college in the late 70's. I know, I used it to try and practice typing.

Gucamole:

2 med. tomatoes (finely chopped)

2 small onions, chopped

3 small avocados

2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Tobasco sauce, dash

cayenne pepper, to taste

salt to taste 1tsp lime juice

The proportions on this in my mind are kind of off balance. The onions would still be overpowering the avocados as well as the tomatoes. These days a 'small' avocado is not very big. No other instructions on that card so it is assumed you just mash it all together. My parents used to visit Mexico frequently so I am sure they got this recipe from someone as well as the 'authentic' recipe for Caesar salad dressing. 

So, that is the latest from my kitchen, oh yes, the pull out cutting board:

 That's as far out as I can pull it without it tipping too far down. You can see that it is almost half way across the kitchen space. I have enough room to stand between the stove and the board at least but it is still awkward. I also misspoke about the size of that section of the counter, it's actually about 18 inches from the backsplash on the wall to the metal edging of the sink, not 12.

Chow!