3cupstomatoes20 ounces total, 3 cups chopped or 1.25 pounds
4tbspgreen onion2 scallions, sliced
2tbspcilantro leavesminced
2clovesgarlicminced
1/2tspground cumin
1/2tspkosher salt
1/2tspgarlic powder
1/8tspblack pepperfresh ground
1pinchred pepper flakes
2tsplime juice
Instructions
Chop tomatoes and slice scallions and place in a large bowl.
Trim leaves from cilantro and mince.
Mince the garlic. Add cilantro and garlic to the bowl.
Add remaining ingredients and stir.
Serve with tortilla chips.
Video
Notes
When choosing fresh tomatoes they should be ripe yet firm. If they are too soft, they’ll break down in the salsa, appearing mushy. Look for nice red tomatoes and give them a gentle squeeze. They should be firm to the touch but have just a little give. You don’t want hard tomatoes.
I use my Vidalia Chop Wizard to cut my tomatoes. You get uniform pieces and it’s a lot easier than using a knife.
Rinse your fresh cilantro under the tap then pat it dry with some paper towels. Remove the leaves from the stems. You don’t want to include the stems in your salsa. I use herb scissors to cut my cilantro, they are one of the best kitchen tools I have!
I only use scallions in my salsa fresca. I have used yellow, white and red onions before and green onions are just my favorite for this recipe. Cut the end of the bulb off and slice the scallion thin all the way up to about halfway through the green ends.
I use just a pinch of red pepper flakes and I don’t use Serrano pepper. This seems to be the most pleasing to a variety of people. The amount of heat is completely up to you. Simply taste test and adjust to your liking. If you prefer to use Serrano, leave out the flakes and start with a teaspoon of minced Serrano, adding more to your taste.
Just remember that if you use fresh peppers such as Jalapeno or Serrano, if you leave the pith in, that’s where all the heat is. It’s a common mistake to think that just removing the seeds takes away the heat. In fact, the seeds don’t contribute to the heat at all, it’s that white tissue known as the pith that packs the punch.
Always zest limes before juicing them. Place the zest in a plastic sandwich bag, squeeze all the air out, then seal and put in the freezer. You can use it when you make my Coconut Rum Mojitos!