makes two and a half cups
It’s late summer. The tomatoes are ripe on the vine, the peppers swing expectantly among their waxy leaves, and the onions peek above the soil. If you listen, you can hear the garden practically begging you to make this bright salsa. Don’t leave your garden hanging. Just do it.
5 plum (Roma) tomatoes, diced
½ cup finely diced red onion
½ jalapeño, seeded and minced (or leave the seeds in if you like spicier salsa)
1 to 2 poblano peppers or other mild chile peppers, seeded and diced
2–4 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
1 clove garlic
1 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more as needed
1 tablespoon lime juice
In a medium bowl, combine the tomatoes, onion, peppers, and cilantro. Cilantro is vital to this dish, but can also be overpowering, so start out on the conservative side and add more as needed.
Make a garlic paste by first mincing the clove, then sprinkling ½ teaspoon of the salt on top of the garlic and continuing to mince, alternating between mincing and using the edge of your knife to smash the garlic against the cutting board. Continue until the garlic has released its juices and you are left with a small pile of paste on your cutting board. Add this to the bowl, along with the remaining ½ teaspoon salt.
Add the lime juice, then taste and adjust the salt as needed.
Chill the salsa for at least 1 hour before serving to allow the flavors to mingle. It’s best if eaten within 2 days. Serve with tortilla chips or use it to top nachos, tacos, or burritos.