Super Bowl Salsa

If you're planted in front of the TV on Super Bowl Sunday, chances are good that a bowl of salsa will be planted near you.

It's a big day for salsa lovers, says Elvia Sandoval de Caldwell of Colorado Springs, Colo., creator of Baja Gourmet Salsa. She ramps up production of her fresh salsa in time for football's biggest day.

"Super Bowl Sunday is one of our biggest production times," says the entrepreneur who, with her husband, started a salsa company five years ago. Typically, they make about 60 to 70 gallons of various salsas every week; that number jumps to somewhere in the neighborhood of 90 to 120 gallons the week before the Super Bowl.

Whether you chow down on boutique salsas such as Baja Gourmet, mass-produced salsas such as Pace, or a homemade version, you're riding a red-hot trend that has yet to show signs of slowing. According to Information Resources, which tracks purchases at roughly 35,000 stores, salsa continues to outsell ketchup.

"It's the most popular table condiment in America, and no wonder," says Jane Butel, an award-winning cookbook author known for her Southwestern cooking. "It's flavorful, versatile and offers endless possibilities."

Nothing's as easy as buying ready-made salsa, but making your own is almost as simple. You just need the right combination of ingredients - and a good knife.

According to Butel, salsas - Spanish for "sauces" - generally fall into three groups: those made with dried chiles, those made with fresh ingredients (tomatoes, cilantro, fresh chiles) and those made with fruit such as mango.

Sali McGrath of Colorado Springs, who makes Sali's Sassy Salsa to sell at summer farmers markets and via e-mail, would add a fourth category: those made with canned tomatoes and chiles and freeze-dried herbs.

"I make a mild with canned chopped green chiles and a hot with canned jalapeños," she says. "But I think what people like about my salsa is the texture. It's not too chunky and is easy to pick up with chips."

What she won't use is cilantro, a popular ingredient in many salsas. "It's a very strong herb, and it can overtake the flavor of the salsa," she says.

Caldwell, on the other hand, makes only fresh salsas and always uses cilantro.

"I like to make my salsa with Roma tomatoes," she says. "But this time of year, it's hard to find them with good flavor locally. I grew up in the tomato belt of Baja California, Mexico, so I order tomatoes from there. But during the summer, I use tomatoes from area farmers. And home cooks should do that, too. Getting the freshest ingredients is what makes a good salsa."

Her other tips include using yellow and green onions, and fresh cilantro. To spice things up, she uses fresh jalapeños or habanero chiles. She says jalapeños can vary, but the habanero has a more consistent heat.

"For our most popular salsa, Fire Roasted mild salsa, I use jalapeños with the seeds left in," she says. "For the Macho Hot salsa, I use habanero."

For the home cook, she recommends expanding your salsa repertoire beyond tomatoes (see the accompanying list for ingredient ideas).

"The only requirement for a salsa is that you combine a juicy vegetable or fruit with chiles and onions," she says.

And don't limit your dipping agent to chips. Fresh vegetables make delicious low-calorie scoops with almost any kind of salsa. Or use spicy chicken wings for dipping into a tangy-sweet salsa.

Can't make up your mind? Make several types of salsas for your Super Bowl gathering. We guarantee that you and your fellow football fans will get a kick out of the variety.

QUICK BASIC SALSA

 Yield: 10 servings

2 cups seeded, chopped tomatoes

(6-7 medium tomatoes) Leaves from 1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped

6 cloves fresh garlic, chopped

1/2 onion, chopped

1 jalapeño, finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon salt

About 1 tablespoon lime juice

Procedure:

Combine all ingredients until well incorporated.

Refrigerate overnight for maximum flavor.

Source: About.com 

SALSA VERDE

Yield: 3 cups

3-4 tomatillos

1 clove garlic

1 jalapeño (core and seed for less

heat)

Salt, to taste

1 white onion, chopped

2-3 cilantro sprigs

1-2 avocados (optional)

Procedure:

Boil tomatillos, garlic, jalapeño and salt until tomatillos are tender. Drain water into a bowl on the side.

In blender or food processor, blend boiled mixture, adding drained water until desired consistency. Add chopped onion, cilantro and avocado to salsa. Refrigerate.

Source: Sunset Magazine, June 2001

PAPAYA-PINEAPPLE SALSA

Yield: About 2 cups

3/4 cup diced ripe papaya

3/4 cup diced fresh pineapple

1/2 cup diced jicama

3 tablespoons chopped red onion

1 serrano or jalapeño, seeded and minced

1 garlic clove, minced

2 teaspoon lime zest

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro

Cook's notes: For best flavor and texture, do not make more than 2 hours before serving. Great as a topper for fish or poultry.

Procedure:

Combine all ingredients.

Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Source: homecooking.about.com 

MANGO SALSA

Yield: 3 cups

1 cup diced firm, ripe mango 1 Roma tomato (about 1/4 pound), rinsed, cored and coarsely chopped

1/2 cup each diced orange and yellow bell peppers

1/4 cup finely diced onion

1 tablespoon minced fresh jalapeño

1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

1 clove garlic, peeled and minced

2 tablespoons lime juice

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

Salt and pepper, to taste

Procedure:

Combine all ingredients except salt and pepper.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Source: Sunset Magazine, June 2001