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Directions

  In a glass or metal pan, broil tomatoes (whole) until skins split and are blackened.

  Meanwhile, in a shallow pan, saute until soft:

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 onion, chopped

6 cloves garlic, minced

  In a food processor, add:

1 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 teaspoons Lawry's seasoned salt

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

2 teaspoons red wine vinegar

2 chipotle chilies in adobo sauce

  When the tomatoes are blackened, add all of them to the food processor, along with the onions and garlic. Pulse the food processor to create a coarse mixture. Do not puree. Taste-test and adjust salt as needed.

  The ?spicy temperature? of this salsa is almost entirely dependent on the number of chipotle chilies used in the salsa. Add more or less to get the ?Fire? that you want. But, one more warning, only add one chili at a time, pulse the food processor, and taste before adding more!

Kids!

Chopping the onions & garlic and pulsing the food processor!

Notes...

I like to use roma tomatoes for this salsa since they are a bit meatier, with fewer seeds and liquid than beefsteak or other "grocery store" tomatoes. The tomatoes can be really black, just don't let them cook to the point of disintegration or burning. Amazingly, the tomatoes are so sweet after blackening, that the salsa can actually be a bit too sweet! Use some red wine vinegar and salt to "move" the taste of the salsa away from being too sweet. The spicy "temperature" of this salsa is determined by the chipotle chilis in adobo sauce. They can be found in a small 8oz can in the ethnic foods section at the grocery. These chilis can be unbelievably hot to the uninitiated, so add them ONE chili at a time and taste-test before adding more!