Charred Tomato Salsa

Salsa Roja

Makes about 2 cups Preparation Time: 5 minutes Cooking Time: 10 to 12 minutes Can be made up to 5 days ahead, covered, and refrigerated

This is my classic red salsa, rustic and deep, with a hint of smoke that comes from charring the ingredients (see the sidebar). Infinitely accommodating and delicious on everything it touches, it is excellent served as a dip for chips; drizzled on tacos, quesadillas, and all sorts of appetizers; or used as a base for meat and vegetable dishes. Depending on how the salsa is used, it can end up tasting quite different.

• 1 pound ripe tomatoes
• 1 garlic clove, unpeeled
• 1 ¼-inch-thick slice large white onion (about 1 ounce)
• 1 jalapeño or serrano chile, or to taste
• ¾ teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt, or to taste

1. Preheat the broiler.
2. Place the tomatoes, garlic, onion, and chile on a baking sheet or in a broilerproof skillet. Broil 10 to 12 minutes, turning halfway through. Remove the tomatoes when they are mushy, their skin is charred and wrinkled, and the juices begin to run. The chile and onion should be softened and nicely charred, and the papery skin of the garlic should be burned and the clove softened. Alternatively, you can char the vegetables on a preheated comal or in a cast-iron or heavy nonstick skillet on top of the stove over medium heat.
3. Remove the skin from the garlic clove and discard. Place the garlic in a blender or food processor, along with the tomatoes, onion, half of the chile, the salt, and any juices. Puree until smooth. Taste for heat, and add more chile if necessary until you have the desired amount of heat.

MEXICAN COOK’S TRICK: Once the tomatoes and chile are charred, you can remove the skins or leave them on. Like many cooks, I keep them for more intricate flavor and a more rustic texture.

Charring One of the signature cooking techniques in Mexico is charring, which contributes an essential flavor to a dish, concentrating and deepening it, while at the same time bringing out a subtle sweetness and a rough, out-in-the-country personality.

Traditionally ingredients like chiles, onion, garlic, spices, herbs, tomatillos, and tomatoes are charred or toasted on a comal (see the sidebar) or directly over an open flame. They can also be charred on a grill, in a skillet on the stovetop, or under the broiler, which I find the easiest and fastest way. Place the ingredients on a large baking sheet with plenty of space between them so they will not steam, and broil until they are nicely browned on one side; turn and repeat on the other side. Charring is like roasting marshmallows—you want the outside almost black and the inside cooked and transformed but not burnt.