Thursday, March 17, 2011

Make Tomato Salsa







Fresh salsa is a cinch to make.


Tomato salsa is a versatile recipe that can be altered to suit any taste by adding or taking away spicy peppers. Tomato salsa is a great accompaniment to any kind of tortilla chip and can be used in cooking other dishes or added to dishes as a relish for a unique and fresh taste. If desired, salsa can also stand on its own as a side salad. Since salsa has no added fat or sugar, it is a diet-friendly and heart-healthy recipe.


Instructions


1. Chop tomatoes and place in a medium sized mixing bowl. The tomatoes may be peeled first if desired, but it is not necessary.








2. Crush the garlic and add to the tomatoes. If you have a garlic press, the garlic can be crushed directly into the bowl. If not, place the flat side of a knife on top of the garlic; press down with your hand, being careful to avoid the sharp edge. Once crushed, the peel will remove easily from the garlic. Chop slightly to avoid having large pieces in your salsa.


3. Roughly chop the cilantro leaves, removing any stem portions as needed. Add to the mixing bowl with the tomatoes and garlic.


4. Pour in olive oil and orange juice and add the salt and pepper. Stir until well mixed.


5. Add the red pepper flakes or chili peppers if desired. Stir the ingredients together. The salsa is ready to serve if a fresh, chunky salsa is wanted.


6. Place the ingredients in a blender and pulse until the salsa has reached your preferred consistency. The salsa can be pulsed briefly and allowed to remain chunky or until the ingredients are well blended and smooth.

Tags: garlic press, mixing bowl, Tomato salsa