Base recipe: Taqueria emulsified habenero salsa

 

This is my standard base recipe for what might be my favorite salsa. Though it has a couple habeneros, it's actually pretty mild, as the roasting process and addition of oil takes the bite out of it. This is a delicious, complex salsa that you can add other veggies or spices to if you want. But the base version itself is also perfect. Recipe makes 1 quart.

Prep time: 1/2 cocktail

1/2 orange bell papper, guts removed and sliced in half (into two quarters)
2 habeneros, sliced in half lenthwise and de-stemmed
4 large roma tomatoes, quartered lenthwise (about 1-1.25 pounds)
1 medium white onion, peeled and sliced into quarters
2-3 large tomatillos, dehusked and sliced in half

3 cloves garlic
1/2 cup neutral oil, like canola (NOT olive oil)

2 tsp powdered bullion (I use Knorr tomato chicken, available at any Mexicn grocer)
1 tsp sugar
A few tiny dashes white vinegar (to taste)

Salt to taste (may not be needed, depending on bullion used)

Preheat oven to 375 (not in convection mode--you want the veggies to roast from the bottom.

Arrange the following in a single layer on baking sheet (a layer of aluminum foil can make cleanup a lot easier): bell pepper, habeneros, tomatoes, onion, and tomatillos. Put into oven and bake for 5-10 minutes, or until the bottoms of the veggies are blistering and charred a bit. 

Add the garlic to the baking sheet and change oven setting to broil. Cook until the veggies are nice and blistered and a little charred on top too, about 5-10 more minutes (but will vary on individual ovens).

Once veggies are nicely roasted, transfer them all to a blender with oil, bullion, and sugar. Puree until it is a nice, totally smooth consistency. Adjust flavor with white vinegar, salt (I usually add ~1/2 tsp of both salt and vinegar), and additional sugar, if necessary. You can also add a little water if you want a thinner consistency. Cool and serve.