This is not for the faint of heart! Fuego is the Spanish word for fire and this salsa fits the bill. However, you can always regulate the heat by adding less peppers and/or taking the seeds and veins out of the peppers. I love this sauce on almost any Mexican dish and especially on tacos and huevos rancheros.
When I moved to Texas in the late 60s, locals thought I would be use to hot spicy food because I am Hispanic. But, food from Spain and Cuba, the Hispanic cuisines most popular in my hometown of Tampa, were not spicy. I remember the first time I ate at a Mexican restaurant in San Antonio, I stuck a toothpick in a jalapeno and tasted just the oil left on the toothpick. I thought to myself, who in the world could stand such heat? Well, I now eat jalapenos like they were a piece of fruit. Bring on the heat!
This recipe makes a lot because I like to freeze some of it for future consumption.
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 Lb. jalapenos (stems removed and roughly chopped)
- 10 Oz. serrano peppers (stems removed and roughly chopped)
- 1 Large yellow onion (roughly chopped)
- 1 Head of garlic (cloves separated and peeled)
- 1 to 1 1/2 Tbsp of kosher salt (depending on your taste)
- 1/2 Tbsp. ground black pepper
- 4 Tbsp. vegetable oil
- 2 1/2 to 3 Lbs of ripe tomatoes (sliced in half from the core and remove the core, as picturted)
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Add the peppers, onion and garlic to a food processor and pulse until minced. (If you don’t have a food processor, just mince the vegetables by hand)
- Add the vegetable oil, salt, pepper and minced vegetables to a 14 inch pan that has a lid.
- Stir and sauté until the vegies have sweated. Spread them evenly on the bottom of the pan. Place the prepared tomatoes, skin side up in the pan.
Cover and simmer for at least two hours until the skin of the tomatoes have wrinkled. - With a pair of tongs, pinch the skins of the tomatoes and remove them. Do not worry if some of the skin stays. The key is to remove as much of it as possible for a smoother texture.
- Once the skins have been removed, use a potato masher to mash the tomatoes, blending all the ingredients as you mash. If you are using a non-stick pan, make sure you use a rubber masher.Â
If you like a smoother sauce, you can put all the ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until pureed. I prefer the salsa to have more texture. You can place in containers and freeze after the sauce has reached room temperature.
Visit the Store to shop for items used in this recipe.