Cookaholics Bulletin Board

I am going to a Halloween party on Saturday and was asked to bring salsa. I am bringing my tried and true Pico de Gallo but wanted a 2nd edgier, salsa to take along with it.

I have a can of tomatillos in the basement (no a chance in hell of fresh ones), chipotoles, some different dried peppers (whole and powdered), pumpkin seeds. The only fresh hot peppers I can get are pepperoncinis.

Any ideas for me?

Mary

PS Are canned tomatillos any good at all? I have never tried them. I wanted to make a chicken chili with them but am afraid of them ruining the recipe.

Hi Mary,
I would not call this edgy, but it is different, and it is absolutely gone whenever I bring it or go to my friends house who introduced me to it. There are also some good salsa recipes on the Muir Glen website. Salsas we make with their tomato products seem to have a fresher tomato taste and in some ways are better than fresh.

Donna’s artichoke salsa dip

12 oz jar marinated artichoke hearts
1/3 cup sliced green onions
2 Tablespoons bottled green salsa (I like more than the 2 T)
½ cup shredded light colored cheese (white cheddar, mont jack, etc)
¼ cup sour cream (I have omitted this entirely to limit the fat, but it is good with it in there!)
¼ cup chopped cilantro

Drain artichokes, discard or save marinade for some other use. Coarsely chop. In a small saucepan, combine chopped artichokes, green onion, salsa. Cook until heated through, stirring often. Remove from heat. Stir in cheese, sour cream, cilantro. Serve immediately.

Good with crackers or with grilled meat or fish.

Have fun,
Lynn

Mmmm - that sounds good, Lynn. Maybe I'll replace the usual mayo-cheesy artichoke dip with this one. Sounds a little lighter.

Anyone have a favorite brand of bottled green salsa? I've not loved those that I've tried.

Mary, I also like fruit salsa's for a change. Ina has a mango salsa that is quite good, although not sure it works as well with chips, etc. as it does with fish or chicken.

Trader Joe's has a great Green Salsa under thier own brand....

No Trader Joe's (sadly). I do have a place where I can buy green salsa though. An American woman set up a bakery and little store a couple towns over and she has all sorts of interesting stuff. Well, interesting for me anyway!

The artichoke recipe sounds interesting. I am guess it needs something more neutral than corn chips though... am I right?

Mary

I've had it with all sorts of chips, corn and otherwise, and with my homedone crostadas (toasted baguette slices).

Not sure this is the season for these ingredients, but:

2 red or yellow bell peppers
1 lbs vine-ripe tomatoes*
1 bunch green onions
2 limes
2 tsp. Rice Vinegar
1.5 tsp garlic paste
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp salt
Optional addions:
1-2 tsp chipotle pepper puree
or: 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 avocado, peeled & cubed

Scorch & peel the bell peppers according to your favorite method.** Allow them to cool to warm before dicing into small (1/4") pieces.
While waiting on the peppers, slice the white and 1 inch of the green parts of the green onions thinly. Dice the tomatoes (1/3" cubes). Add all these veggies to a glass or plastic bowl (no metal, it will affect the flavor).
Squeeze in one of the limes, and add the garlic paste, vinegar, salt, coriander, and any optional ingredients. Mix thouroughly and taste. Squeeze lime juice from the second lime to taste ... the goal is to get the salsa to have a hint of lime without letting the lime overpower the other ingredients.
Allow to sit for at least 1/2 hour before serving. Will keep 1-2 days in the fridge.

* I used yellow tomatoes and red peppers for this, which gave me a brilliantly colored salsa. Red tomatoes and yellow or orange peppers would be equally colorful.
** I stick them under the broiler until burnt on top, then toss them in a paper bag to steam for 10 minutes.

Throw some corn kernels and black beans in there. Yum.

Thanks!
Josh, what is garlic paste... the jarred garlic you buy in the store? Your recipe is pretty close to the one I make so I will save it for another time as I was asked to bring THAT salsa. The tomatoes are still pretty good. The southern part of Switzerland is still warm and the ones from Italy are good too.

I think I will give the artichoke one a go but will buy the crostini because I still don't have a costume.

No one has any wise words for me about canned tomatillos?

Mary

I made Lynne's dip and it was a big hit. We finished it off for lunch today (it warmed nicely in the MW... I think I would make it ahead next time and nuke it.).

Thanks so much, it is a real keeper.

Mary