What’s Your Favorite Salsa?

[wacojoe]

I’m betting most everyone appreciates a good salsa. That term covers a lot of ground even when I exclude the term applied to a variety of Mexican music — which I am excluding in this food thread.

This definition from Wikileaks seems about right —

Salsa is the Spanish word for "sauce".. In English, especially in the United States, when the word "salsa" is used, it refers to the spicy tomato-and-chili-based preparation found in Mexican, Texan, Central American and South American cuisine.It is commonly used as a dip alongside tortilla chips, or as a condiment served along with dishes such as huevos rancheros or burritos.

My favorite is my version made from scratch from ripe tomatoes out of my garden with acidy tomatoes and diced jalapeño & serrano peppers, cilantro, lime, garlic plus the secret ingredient tipped to me by one of my old house keepers, salt-free granulated chicken bullion. But, since I don’t grow tomatoes anymore, I am talking primarily about store-bought salsa here. Feel free to supply your recipe, but I am wondering what brands of salsa fit your fancy. My longtime favorite is Herdez Salsa Casera, yet there are a lot of salsas on the salsa shelf at the grocery store, some I’ve tried, but many I have not. Herdez is made in Mexico and has that acidy tang I prefer with the right chunkiness. One ingredient I have found that is a turnoff for my tastes in salsa is sugar. If it has sugar in any form, I skip it, including various fruit concoctions that end up tasting more like chutney to me.

So, what is your favorite?

[Truckman]

I'll wait for Puffy's response here, as I'm fairly sure she has an opinion on the subject......Ben

[FredK]

Can't say we get all those flavors in Joe.

Usually Salsa Verde is what I find on the shelf. I prefer chunky if I can find that.

[Truckman]

I prefer chunky if I can find that.

Then try Salsa Casera in medium, Fred, if it's available there...You can thank me later......Ben

[Phillbo]

I'm a Herdez fan as well when not making our nuklar guac sauce....

[wacojoe]

Good info, Puffster. I picked up some Herdez Roasted Poblano Cremosa today upon your rec for my wife and son who particularly like that type. I have had both Huy Fong Chili Sauces for years in my frig...a little bit goes a long way...and use it primarily in Oriental food. I don’t much care for the one with garlic in it for some reason.

I’ve seen those little round red peppers in the H-E-B deli section before the Kung Flu shutdown of open food bars and always wondered what goes there. I assumed they were akin to Italian no zip peppers. I’m glad I did not pop one now.

While we are on peppers — I have sprinkled red pepper flakes on pizza and pasta for years and enjoyed it, good for some zip if not much else, but a few months back my wife ran across an article on a different version of the dried pepper flakes — Allepo Turkish Pepper Flakes that was said to be widely used in Turkey and that area. We ordered some (from Amazon, of course), and I have a taste for that stuff. It is not quite as pungent as the usual dried red pepper flakes predominant here and has a bit more flavor of its own that I like. I started putting it on fish and like, something I never put red pepper flakes on.

[Dave Grubb]

For store bought: Tostitos as number one and Chi-Chi's as number two. Both chunky style and medium hot (out of respect for my wife).

The best---my own---but then only I can eat it I do party up the store brands for my own "lazy" enjoyment.

I commonly use salsa over my eggs. I put it on top of the freshly cracked eggs and then cover while the egg cooks. Cheese often follows

For a homemade party in my mouth I begin with this:

Salsa Fresca
MARK BITTMAN

• YIELDabout 2 cups

• TIME10 minutes

INGREDIENTS
• 2 large fresh ripe tomatoes, chopped
• ½ large white onion, peeled and minced
• ¼ teaspoon minced raw garlic, or to taste
• 1 habanero or jalapeño pepper, stemmed, seeded and minced, or to taste
• ¼ cup chopped cilantro leaves
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice or 1 teaspoon red-wine vinegar
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
•
Nutritional Information
o
PREPARATION
1. Combine all ingredients, taste and adjust seasoning as necessary.
2. Let the flavors marry for 15 minutes or so before serving, but serve within a couple of hours.

It is at the "adjust seasoning" point were I can go out of control

[TriGuy]

This is my favorite