Chunky Poblano and Tomato Salsa

Makes about 4 cups Preparation Time: 5 minutes Cooking Time: 30 minutes Can be made up to 4 days ahead, covered, and refrigerated

A chunky base of gently browned onions and meaty strips of poblano peppers are cooked in a nicely seasoned tomato sauce. Once finished, this thick salsa is delicious with chips or as a garnish for anything from tacos or tostadas to grilled meats or chicken. I think it shines brightest as a sauce for cooking eggs—see Poached Eggs in Chunky Poblano-Tomato Salsa. It also makes a lovely poaching sauce for fish fillets.

• 2 pounds ripe tomatoes
• 1 garlic clove
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• ½ cup thinly sliced white onion
• 2 large poblano chiles (about 11 ounces), charred, sweated, peeled, stemmed, seeded, and cut into 2-inch strips (see the sidebar)
• ¼ teaspoon dried marjoram
• 1 teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt, or to taste
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste

1. Place the tomatoes, garlic, and bay leaves in a medium saucepan, cover with water, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer until the tomatoes are soft, about 10 minutes. Let cool slightly. Discard the bay leaves.
2. Transfer the tomatoes and garlic to a blender or food processor and puree until smooth.
3. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Add the onion and cook, stirring now and then, until soft and translucent, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in the poblanos and cook for 1 to 2 minutes more. Add the tomato puree, marjoram, salt, and pepper and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium and cook until the salsa has thickened and the flavors have deepened, 10 to 12 minutes. Serve hot or warm.

Poblano Chiles (see the sidebar) are rarely used raw in Mexican cooking. They are usually charred and peeled to bring out their best qualities. The process is simple, and you can make more than you need and freeze them for up to 6 months.

Char or Broil Them

Place the chiles under the broiler, on a hot comal, in a dry skillet set over medium heat, on an outdoor grill, or directly over an open flame, which is how they are typically done in Mexico. I prefer to broil them because you can do several at a time.

Whatever method you choose, roast, turning them every 2 to 3 minutes, for 6 to 9 minutes. They should be charred and blistered on the outside, and the flesh should be cooked, not burnt—much like roasting marshmallows over a fire.

Make Them Sweat

Place the chiles in a plastic bag or a bowl. Seal the bag or cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and allow the chiles to sweat for 10 to 20 minutes. When I was growing up, my mom always wrapped the plastic bag in a kitchen towel; I do the same.

Peel and Rinse

Holding each chile under a thin stream of cold running water, remove the charred skin with your fingers. Then make a slit down one side of the pepper and remove the cluster of seeds and veins.

If you are using the peppers for stuffing, leave the stems intact. If using them in other dishes, remove the stems and slice the chiles.

Note: Poblano chiles vary a great deal in their level of heat. If you don’t want to take any chances, you can tame them. Once the chiles are charred, peeled, and cleaned, soak them in warm water mixed with a tablespoon of brown sugar for 10 to 30 minutes, then drain.