These pro tips from the author of “Salsa Daddy” will make you a believer.
Salsa should be bold, sometimes fresh, sometimes smoky, and always bursting with flavor.
And don’t go thinking it’s only for chips.
Photo:Anna Bogush/Getty Images
The direct translation of the word salsa is sauce.
Even that, according to Martinez, is an understatement.
InMexican cuisine, salsa is so much more.
Alex Lau, Courtesy of Clarkson Potter/Publishers
Its a seasoning for food that tickles and gratifies the palate.
But Martinez wants me (and you) to think bigger.
“Start using salsa like a jar of mayo or a bottle of ketchupput it on everything!
Alex Lau, Courtesy of Clarkson Potter/Publishers
Freeze leftover salsa to make weeknight dinners tastier, faster, easier, and spicier.
To help improve all of our salsas, I asked Martinez how to make them shine.
Tip #1: Char Your Ingredients
Dont skip this step!
Combining raw ingredients can be tasty; think pico de gallo.
If youre making one that does, go easy, Martinez says.
Blending on high makes a salsa smoothie thats loaded with air.
Blend on low to start and gradually increase to medium low and never higher.
If you want a chunkier salsa, try using a food processor instead.
Without them, salsa falls flat, he says.
Once youre finished making the salsa, let it hang out.
Salsa changes as it sits.
Let it rest for 10 minutes, then adjust the salt and acidity if necessary.
How to make salsa a bit saltier is obvious.
Tip #4: Tame a Too-Spicy Salsa
There are a few ways to fix this problem.
First, if you have time, let the salsa chill in the fridge overnight.
Capsaicinthe compound that makes chiles spicyis fat-soluble, not water-soluble.
Americans believe that there is a correct version ofguacamoleand everything else is wrong.
The only requirement for guacamole, he says, is that there be a lot of avocado.
Other than that, theres a lot of variety.
