Cilantro and Green Chile Salsa

The smell of roasting peppers is a familiar one in my kitchen.

Weather alert...cold front went through--only 99° or so in Austin today. Good day to clean out the vegetable drawer before I go on vacation. My friend left for her summer vacation and gave me a huge bag of fresh cilantro, a jalapeno, a few limes and an over-ripe mango (which became lunch). My own vegetable drawer was packed full of cilantro, jalapeno, limes, two poblano peppers, and a few stray serrano peppers. So, it was either come back to bags of slime in the veggie drawer (that ever happen to you?) or make salsa. I'm calling this one the Clean Out Your Fridge Salsa.

Serrano peppers are added for more burn.

After my Doña spicy salsa success earlier this week, I felt confident that I could make something reasonably edible with all these fresh ingredients. Short on time this morning--I also needing to pit a bag of fresh cherries, and peel and slice Fredericksburg peaches for a future cobbler--I popped the blender in place and began peeling and chopping.

I'm addicted to fresh salsas, in case you haven't noticed. I think this particular one might need to join a few stray ripe avocados for a spicy sauce for the weekly Thursday night Taco Night. Hungry college students are always glad to be my guinea pigs. I'll throw in fresh tortilla chips and they'll happily gobble it all up.

In my haste, I cut my fingers twice--boy do those hot peppers burn! I probably should have worn gloves, but I'm not usually so clumsy. I coarsely chopped all the other ingredients, charred the poblano peppers, then peeled and seeded them quickly under running water--a no-no, but it helped speed the process along. I patted them dry afterwards and they were no worse for the wear.

Fresh cilantro, jalapenos, roasted poblanos and garlic go into the blender.

A touch of sea salt is added.

A tornado of cilantro, onion, and peppers is ready in seconds.

A spoon full of spicy green goodness.

Clean out the Fridge Cilantro Salsa
makes about 2 cups

2 bunches fresh cilantro, washed well and ends cut off--leave stems on
3-4 large jalapeño peppers, stemmed and seeded, coarsely chopped
1/2 large white onion, cut into quarters
2 large poblano peppers, charred, peeled and seeded (if you want HOT--leave in seeds)
3-4 serrano peppers, seeded and ribs removed (unless you want the sauce to be very HOT)
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt, or to taste
1/4-1/3 cup olive oil
6 cloves garlic

Place all ingredients except olive oil into blender. Pulse for 10-20 seconds. Add olive oil and continue to pulse, stopping to scrap down mixture as needed. Adjust seasoning. If you want it smoother, add additional olive oil.

Place in airtight container or freeze for future use. Serve salsa with chips or vegetables, or puree a few tablespoons in a blender with avocado to make an avocado cream salsa. This salsa is also excellent served over grilled chicken or steak.

Excellent drizzled over tacos, tostados, or cheese enchiladas also.

Next time I will definitely add a few more jalapeños and serranos to make it a little spicier for my guinea pigs. The roasted poblano chile peppers definitely give the sauce a depth of flavor that I really enjoy. If you have time, roast all the peppers, garlic and onion on a griddle for a roasted salsa. Maybe next time I'll do that--but for now I'm out of the kitchen and heading to the beach.

Homemade chips and we're ready for some salsa!

Enjoy!