Fresh Serrano Chile Salsa Recipes

Steps:

• Prepare a grill for medium-high heat. Thread chiles onto skewer and grill, turning often, until charred and softened, about 6 minutes. Let cool; remove stems.
• Meanwhile, pluck leaves from basil and leaves and tender stems from cilantro and parsley. (You should have about 2 cups of each herb.)
• Pulse chiles, basil, cilantro, and parsley in a food processor until finely chopped. Add oil, vinegar, and salt and pulse until a thick, slightly textured sauce forms.
• Sauce can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Steps:

• In a bowl, mix the serranos, onion, and lime juice; let marinate about 10 minutes.
• Add the remaining ingredients and mix well.
• Refrigerate; serve cold.

Steps:

• Put the tomatillos in a blender first, then add the remaining ingredients. Pulse a few times, then blend until the salsa is very smooth, at least 1 minute. Season to taste with additional chile and salt, and blend again.

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, stir together tomatoes, onion, chili peppers, cilantro, salt, and lime juice. Chill for one hour in the refrigerator before serving.

Steps:

• Seed and dice 10 tomato halves; transfer to large bowl. Place remaining tomatoes in blender; add onion, lime juice, chiles, salt, and pepper. Blend until smooth. Add cilantro. Pulse just to mix in cilantro. Pour tomato puree into bowl with diced tomatoes. Stir to blend. Season salsa to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be made 4 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

Steps:

• Heat oil in medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Fry chiles until blistered, about 3 minutes. Remove chiles from oil. Cool chiles and chile oil completely.
• Line large skillet with foil; heat over medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened and blackened in spots, about 5 minutes per side. Cool.
• Cut stems off chiles. Combine chiles, onion, garlic, salt, and 2 tablespoons chile oil in blender; chop finely. With blender running, slowly drizzle in remaining chile oil and blend until thick. (Can be made 1 day ahead; cover and chill.)

Steps:

• Add olive oil to a medium-sized sauté pan.
• Place over medium-high heat.
• When oil is hot, stir in Serrano chilies and garlic.
• Sauté for about 1 minute, stirring often so garlic does not burn.
• Add onion and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes.
• Add yellow pepper, sauté for 1 minute.
• Stir in tomato paste, brown sugar, oregano and coriander; cook for 1 minute.
• Add tomatoes, vinegar, salt, pepper and capers.
• Turn up heat to high and bring sauce to slight boil; remove from heat immediately.
• The vegetables should retain crispness.
• Chill thoroughly before serving.

Steps:

• Core the tomatoes, then cut in half widthwise and squeeze out the seeds if you wish (it will give the sauce a less rustic appearance). Finely dice the flesh by slicing it into roughly 1/4-inch thick pieces, then cutting each slice into small dice. Scoop into a bowl.
• Cut the chiles in half lengthwise (wear rubber gloves if your hands are sensitive to the piquancy of the chiles) and scrape out the seeds if you wish (not only will this make the salsa seem less rustic, but it will make it a little less picante). Chop the chiles as finely as you can, then add them to the tomatoes. Carefully bunch up the cilantro sprigs, and, with a sharp knife, slice them 1/16-inch thick, stems and all, working your way down from the leafy end until you run out of leaves. Scoop the chopped cilantro into the tomato mixture along with the optional garlic. Next, finely dice the onion with a knife (a food processor will turn it into a sour mess), scoop it into a small strainer, then rinse it under cold water. Shake to remove the excess water and add to the tomato mixture. Taste and season with lime juice and salt, and let stand if you have a little time, for the flavors to meld before using or scooping into a salsa dish and serving.