Chef John Salsa Recipes

CINCO DE MAYO SALSA CRUDA

Steps:

• Drain tomatoes in a strainer for 15 minutes.
• Combine tomatoes, onion, jalapeno pepper, serrano pepper, and garlic in a large bowl. Pour lime juice over the top. Stir in oregano, cayenne pepper, salt, sugar, mint, and cilantro. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Season with salt to taste.

FIRE-ROASTED CHERRY TOMATO SALSA

Steps:

• Set oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source and preheat the oven's broiler. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and brush with olive oil.
• Spread tomatoes, onion, garlic, and jalapeno peppers onto prepared baking sheet.
• Cook under the preheated broiler for 5 minutes. Turn the baking sheet and continue broiling until vegetables are charred, about 5 minutes more. Cool slightly.
• Remove garlic from skins; discard skins.
• Blend tomatoes, onion, peeled garlic, jalapenos, any accumulated juices from the baking sheet, cilantro leaves, lime juice, cumin, cayenne pepper, and oregano in a blender until salsa is smooth. Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until flavors blend, at least 2 hours. Season with salt and black pepper.

CHEF JOHN'S GREEN SAUCE

Steps:

• Crush garlic and salt in a molcajete or with a mortar and pestle until garlic has a paste-like texture. Add parsley, capers, and anchovy paste; grind into garlic until mixture is coarsely ground.n
• Stir oil and vinegar into parsley mixture.n

CHEF JOHN'S NECTARINE SALSA

Steps:

• Combine nectarines, bell pepper, onions, jalapeno pepper, and cilantro in a bowl. Stir in lime juice, olive oil, salt, and cayenne pepper.
• Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Refrigerate to let flavors develop, 30 minutes to 1 hour.
• Before serving, stir in black pepper. Add a pinch more salt, if needed.

RESTAURANT-STYLE SALSA

Steps:

• Combine the diced tomatoes, whole tomatoes, cilantro, onions, garlic, jalapeno, cumin, salt, sugar and lime juice in a blender or food processor. (This is a very large batch. I recommend using a 12-cup food processor, or you can process the ingredients in batches and then mix everything together in a large mixing bowl.)
• Pulse until you get the salsa to the consistency you'd like. I do about 10 to 15 pulses. Test seasonings with a tortilla chip and adjust as needed.
• Refrigerate the salsa for at least an hour before serving.

HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE SRIRACHA SAUCE

Steps:

• Chop jalapeno and serrano peppers, retaining seeds and membranes, and place into a blender with garlic, brown sugar, salt, and water. Blend until smooth, pulsing several times to start.
• Transfer puree into a large glass container such as a large jar or pitcher. Cover container with plastic wrap and place into a cool dark location for 3 to 5 days, stirring once a day. The mixture will begin to bubble and ferment. Scrape down the sides during each stirring. Rewrap after every stirring and return to a cool, dark place until mixture is bubbly.
• Pour fermented mixture back into blender with vinegar; blend until smooth. Strain mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a saucepan, pushing as much of the pulp as possible through the strainer into the sauce. Discard remaining pulp, seeds, and skin left in strainer.
• Place saucepan on a burner and bring sauce to a boil, stirring often, until reduced to your desired thickness, 5 to 10 minutes. Skim foam if desired.
• Remove saucepan from heat and let sauce cool to room temperature. Sauce will thicken a little when cooled. Transfer sauce to jars or bottles and refrigerate.

CHEF JOHN'S NECTARINE SALSA

Steps:

• Combine nectarines, bell pepper, onions, jalapeno pepper, and cilantro in a bowl. Stir in lime juice, olive oil, salt, and cayenne pepper.
• Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Refrigerate to let flavors develop, 30 minutes to 1 hour.
• Before serving, stir in black pepper. Add a pinch more salt, if needed.
• Note: This salsa will work with any stone fruit, but nectarines are my favorite. They're usually sweet, even when still a bit firm, which I prefer texturally over a perfectly ripe price of fruit. Having said that, if you do have a few peaches to use up this summer, this is something to keep in mind.

CHEF JOHN'S SPAGHETTI ALLA CARBONARA

Steps:

• Cook guanciale with olive oil and 1 teaspoon ground black pepper in a Dutch oven over medium-low heat until almost crisp, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low.
• Whisk eggs, 3 tablespoons Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, 3 tablespoons Pecorino Romano cheese, and 1 teaspoon ground black pepper in a bowl. Set aside.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until cooked through but firm to the bite, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water.
• Pour reserved pasta water and drained spaghetti into the bacon-pepper mixture; stir to combine.
• Slowly pour egg mixture into the pasta mixture; cook, stirring constantly until the egg mixture forms a thick sauce, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Stir remaining 3 tablespoons Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and 3 tablespoons Pecorino Romano cheese into the pasta mixture and serve.