Finding a Mexican restaurant that has a great salsa is like hitting the jackpot for me. I love a salsa with a spicy deep heated flavor, not just hot, but a sauce that makes you stop and think about it. I have long believed that you can judge the menu of a Taqueria simply by its salsa. Being presented a mediocre red dip usually signals the quality of the meal to come. Many establishment unfortunately serve an Americanized version of a sauce that is flat, full of onions, tomatoes and everything but the most important ingredient peppers. I am not afraid of flavor or heat and understand they are not one and the same. I also am aware that spicy and hot are two different things. Well this salsa is the real deal, made with nothing but peppers, a little garlic, and some salt. So if you’re like me and enjoy a spicy flavor and some heat, then I am confidant you love will this sauce.
- 16 Chili California dried peppers
- 10 Chili Guajillo dried Peppers
- 12 Chili Pequin dried peppers
- 4 garlic cloves peeled
- Salt and pepper to taste
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Add several quarts of water to a large sauce pan and heat over medium-high heat to a low boil.
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Lightly toast the peppers and garlic in a dry skillet over medium-high heat for a few minutes, stirring to prevent burning.
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Place roasted peppers and peeled garlic cloves in the pan of hot water.
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Bring the water in the pan to a boil. When the water is at a good boil, turn off the heat and cover the pan with a lid. Allow the peppers to soak for about 30 minutes or until soft.
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Reserve one cup of the water and then drain the peppers.
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Cut the stems off of the peppers and slice them in half. Using your knife gently scrape off part of the seeds and discard. Scrape the flesh from the skins of the peppers. You can skip this step and process everything but I prefer to remove the skins.
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Place peppers and garlic into a food processor with a small amount of the reserved water and process until smooth, adding more of reserved water as needed.
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Season salsa with salt and pepper to taste. I find it does take a bit of salt to get the flavor to pop. If you taste the salsa with a chip remember most of them are salted so you might not get an accurate flavor reading of your sauce.
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Pour the sauce back in the saucepan and turn the heat until almost boiling. Taste the salsa as it cools for additional salt or pepper.
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Store in a sealed container in the fridge for up to a month, or seal in jars following safe canning techniques.
You can adjust the heat and flavor of your salsa by increasing or decreasing peppers. For a hotter sauce do not remove many of the seeds.
