My friend Karin and I moved to Boston at about the same time, and of all the things this fellow Tex-pat and I missed the most, at the top of the list was the spicy, smoky, black-flecked salsa at La Fogata restaurant in San Antonio, where Karin grew up and where we both loved to visit when we were in college in nearby Austin. In those days, La Fogata would sell you the stuff to go, but only if you brought your own container. Karin would fly back to Boston with a gallon jug in her carry-on, something that wouldn’t go over too well with the TSA anymore. Nowadays, you can order the salsa online, but it’s not quite the same, no doubt due to the preservatives required to make it shelf stable. After I saw a take on the recipe at SpiceLines.com, I started experimenting and developed my own. In addition to gracing the top of Tacos de Huevos (page 87) and going into Spicy Glazed Mini Meatloaf (page 65), the pungent, garlicky condiment is good on grilled pork chops or steak. Of course, it can be served as an appetizer with tortilla chips. The recipe doubles and triples easily.
Recipe information
Yield
makes 3/4 to 1 cup
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat the broiler with the rack set 3 to 4 inches from the element or flame.
Step 2
Combine the jalapeño, shallots, garlic, and cherry tomatoes in a large cast-iron skillet or a roasting pan. Broil for 10 to 15 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally, until the vegetables are blackened all over.
Step 3
Remove from the broiler and reserve the garlic and jalapeño; transfer the remaining vegetables to a food processor and let cool slightly.
Step 4
When the garlic is cool enough to handle, discard the papery skin; add the garlic to the food processor. Slice open the jalapeño; scrape out the seeds and reserve them. Add the jalapeño to the food processor, along with the vinegar, salt, and water. Pulse or process briefly until the mixture is pureed but with some chunks remaining.
Step 5
Taste and adjust salt as necessary; thin with water as needed. Adjust the heat level by adding as many of the reserved jalapeño seeds as desired, pulsing to combine. Serve immediately or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
