SALSA ROJA (ROASTED TOMATO & CHIPOTLE SALSA)

Ingredients

4 tablespoons pure olive oil

4 medium tomatoes, cored and halved

4 garlic cloves

½ large white onion, roughly chopped

2 jalapeños, halved, seeds and ribs removed, diced

1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus extra to taste

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

½ cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro

2 chipotle chiles from a can of chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, plus 2 tablespoons of the adobo sauce

Juice of 1 lime, plus extra to taste

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425°F.

Evenly coat an 11 x 17-inch baking sheet with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Place the tomatoes, garlic, onion, and jalapeños on the baking sheet and season them with the salt and pepper. Roast the vegetables until they are soft and are charred in some spots, stirring them halfway through, 15 to 20 minutes.

Transfer the roasted vegetables to a blender. Add the cilantro, chipotle chiles, adobo sauce, and lime juice and puree until smooth. Taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt and lime juice if needed. Serve immediately or transfer to an airtight container; the salsa will keep in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Notes

This is one of the most versatile salsas we have on the menu: you can put it on any of our tacos, put it in a bowl to serve with chips, or, honestly, just slather it on a store-bought rotisserie chicken. Roasting the vegetables caramelizes them and intensifies their natural sweetness. Smoky and spicy chipotles in adobo sauce add heat and depth of flavor.