Tomato Salsa Recipe: For Chili Lovers Only!

This is an extra special tomato salsa recipe.  Serve as part of this cocktail party menu with tortilla chips or as a sauce for sandwiches and burgers.  Also try with raw veggies.  Dry-frying, a method of pan roasting, is simply frying without fat.  Try this cooking method for sweet peppers and other raw vegetables.  Watch the heat and don't allow the food to smoke.  

Roasted Tomato Chili Salsa 
Makes 1 1/4 cups.  Serves 10-12

2 large banana chilies OR New Mexican or yellow wax hot chilies for a hotter salsa
3 large shallots, peeled and halved
5 Cloves garlic, peeled
2 medium-sized ripe tomatoes (about 1/2 lb.)
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
2 Tablespoon soy sauce
1 Tablespoon fresh lime juice

Heat a large, heavy non-stick skillet over high heat. Add whole chilies and dry-fry for about 4 minutes, pressing down with a wooden spoon and turning occasionally. Add shallots and garlic to the skillet and continue to dry-fry, turning occasionally. for about 5 minutes, or until the chili skins are blackened. 

Transfer the mixture to a bowl and cool. Add tomatoes to the skillet and dry-fry for about 5 minutes, turning occasionally, or until the 
skins are blackened. Let cool. 

Remove stems from the chilies and cut in half lengthwise. (Do not remove skins.) Remove seeds if you prefer less heat. Core the tomatoes and cut into quarters. (Do not remove skins.)  Place chilies, tomatoes, shallots and garlic in a food processor and, pulsing, process until the mixture is coarsely chopped and salsa-like in texture (not pureed).  

Alternatively, chop vegetables finely with a knife. Transfer the mixture to a small bowl and stir in cilantro, soy sauce and lime juice. 

Make Ahead
This tomato salsa recipe can be prepared up to 3 days ahead and stored, covered, in the refrigerator

Another Tomato Salsa Recipe