Gavacho's Pico Salsa

ROV Chef's Note:

This is my salsa recipe that I have be trying to get to paper for some time. I always make this to go along with Great Gavacho Guacamole. I have always like the fresh, chunky salsa over the stewed paste stuff. You can't beat the fresh flavor here. You'll never get that out of a jar. As for the dried peppers I use. You can find them in most grocery stores in the Mexican food isle. The hour cook time is the rest time.

• Total Time: 1 hrs 20 mins
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 1 hrs

Ingredients:

Yield: 4 cups

• 8 tomatoes (roma)
• 1 red onion (large)
• 1 bunch fresh cilantro
• 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 jalapeno
• 1 ½ tablespoons pureed chipotle chiles
• 8 key limes
• 1 ancho chili (dried)
• 1 casabel chili pepper (dried)
• 6 garlic cloves (roasted)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil (roasted garlic)

Directions:

1. Dice onions and put in a large work bowl with 1 teaspoon of the salt sprinkled over them. (you want to get a sweat going here).
2. Dice up the tomatoes and add to the bowl.
3. Mince the jalapeño and add to the bowl. ( I highly recommend you wear some rubber gloves. Trust me on this.).
4. Chop up the cilantro and add to the bowl.
5. Take the dried peppers and cut the stem end off and get all the seeds out. (they're bitter) Cut the peppers up into thin strips and add to the bowl. ( I like to us kitchen scissors for this).
6. Juice the limes into the bowl. Make sure you use a strainer to catch the seeds. If you can't find key limes, use regular lime but only 4-6. Add to taste.
7. Add the chipotle puree and the roasted garlic and the roasted garlic oil.
8. Stir to combine. ( For this I like to use my already gloved hands. Get in there and give everything a good squeeze.).
9. Before adding any extra salt, taste the salsa with the chips you plan to eat the salsa with. This helps to give you tongue a good salt baseline. Skip this and you may have salsa that is too salty.
10. Let this sit in the fridge for at least an hour, if not over night to let the flavors mingle and the dried peppers to rehydrate.