How to Make Fresh Homemade Salsa

Fresh salsa (sauce) is great on your favorite Mexican foods, like tacos and burritos. But it's just as good on other foods like grilled steak, chicken or even scrambled eggs. On a typical Mexican table you will find three different salsas -- a mild sauce, one slightly spiced and one... well, you'd just better get out the fire extinguisher for that one. The salsa recipe below is for Salsa Fresca, slightly spiced and full of garden fresh goodness.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• 3 tomatoes, ripe, peeled, seeded and chopped
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 1 jalapeno chile pepper, seeded, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon vinegar
• 1 teaspoon lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• Salt to taste

1. Peel, seed and chop tomatoes. You can leave the seeds if you like, but peeling the skin off is a must.

2. Finely chop 1 jalapeno chile pepper.
   
   The seeds hold the "heat" so make adjustment to your taste at this point. For a mild salsa, less pepper and seed. For a hotter sauce, use discretion.

3. Combine tomatoes, onion, chile in a mixing bowl. Add the olive oil, vinegar, lime juice, oregano. Salt to taste.

4. Let stand, unrefrigerated, about 1 hour before serving to allow the flavors to blend.
   
   This salsa recipe makes about 2 cups of salsa.

Tips & Warnings

• Fresh sauces like Fresca Salsa only keep for a short time in the refrigerator.
• Use food gloves whenever handling peppers, but if you do not have gloves, just make sure not to touch your eyes after handling the peppers with bare hands.

Resources

• A salsa for every occasion
• A salsa classic