So ive been seeing that 'restaurant table salsa' recipe going around that users like u/Soggy-Ad-8017 posted and was really excited to make it. Followed the same recipe with 4 romas, 2 serranos, 2 clove garlic, boiled for 10 mins, blended w/ 14oz whole peeled tomatoes, add lime, cilantro, quarter chopped white onion, salt to taste. I really wanted to like this salsa but it just tastes kinda watery, bland, and doesnt have enough spice for me. Let me know anything i couldve done differently, i am pretty certain the quality of my ingredients was fairly high so that is likely not the issue. I think i might just prefer a more roasted/smokey/spicy flavor vs blended watery tomato but could just be a skill issue
by TheOfficialJok
14 Comments
boiled?????
nah
Most of the time people roast the veggies first to concentrate the flavor, but that’s different from a salsa fresca.
You could try throwing in a bullion cube or MSG or something, a lot of people do that. And also probably a lot of the issue is just that store-bought roma’s are mostly flavorless anyway.
If it’s not spicy, throw in a few chile de arbol (: if you want a flamethrower salsa throw in 20!
Without knowing the recipe I would suggest roasting the ingredients vs boiling. Also making sure to add plenty of salt. For what you have now, I would say you could doctor it up by adding some salt and garlic powder. Some people add MSG or chicken boullion as well.
I use at least a half, sometimes a whole medium onion, a few jalapenos and twice as many serranos.
I don’t usually use bullion but if the tomatoes are meh I’m absolutely using a dash or two of MSG.
It’s not a salsa that I would serve to people to impress, however it does taste EXACTLY like the restaurant salsa I ate at Mexican restaurants growing up, aka restaurants in the deep south that are often catering to white people.
Personally I have a ton of nostalgia for that type of table salsa and mostly just love it because I can eat 2 pounds of chips with it and still feel nothing
Ive heard of roasting the vegetable, but does anyone actually cook their salsa? If you do, why?
EDIT: I HAVE SAVED THE SALSA
I made a little flavor nuke out of 5 chile de arbol and 2 chile california roasted in a pan, 2 more cloves of garlic, and half a cube of knorr chicken bouillon. Steeped the roasted chiles in about 1/2 cup boiling water for 10 mins, then immersion blended everything and mixed my flavor nuke in and BANG. Tastes amazing and has a great level of heat and smokiness from the chiles.
https://preview.redd.it/eq9mnz325edg1.jpeg?width=3000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d3430f004d95e8ebd6b941d1ae915e530fd45c3b
It sounds like you know how to fix it to your taste: make it smokier and spicier! Add a charred jalapeno, some toasted dried arbol, and some salt/Knorr to compensate for the new ingredients. Unless I’m missing something?
I don’t mind the texture but the recipe called for too much oregano
Let the flavors marry overnight in the fridge. Trust
Was definitely mid imo
Buy some jarred jalapenos and pour a little juice in. Sometimes that tang you get from the, salty, vinegary, slightly spicy brine is whats missing. Its very common for restaurants to do this too.
MSG is what it needs