Roasted Tomato-Habanero Salsa

Servings: 1  1/2 cups salsa

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 pound (2 medium-large round or 6 to 8 plum) ripe tomatoes
  • 1 or 2 habanero chiles, stemmed
  • 1 small onion sliced ½-inch thick
  • About 1/2 (loosely packed) cup chopped cilantro
  • Salt

INSTRUCTIONS

Roast the tomatoes, habaneros and sliced onion on a rimmed baking sheet about 4 inches below a hot broiler for 5 or 6 minutes, until everything is blackened and blistered.  Remove the onion and habanero, then flip the tomatoes over and roast them for another 5 or 6 minutes, until they are blackened and soft.  Cool until handleable and, if you wish, pull off the blackened skin from the tomatoes.

Roughly chop the habanero(s) and scoop them into a blender or food processor, followed by the tomatoes.  Pulse to roughly chop everything, then run the machine until you have what I’d call a very coarse puree—not too chunky, certainly not smooth.  Scrape the mixture into a salsa dish.  Chop the onion into small bits and stir them in, along with the cilantro and a good dose of salt—it usually takes nearly a teaspoon.  If the salsa is too thick to easily spoon, stir in a tablespoon or two of water.