Salsa Roja Taquera Red Taco Stand Style Salsa Recipes

RED TAQUERIA STYLE SALSA

Steps:

• Fill a saucepan with 4 cups of water, and set aside.
• Slightly roasted guajillo peppers and garlic cloves on a warm griddle (this step takes only seconds). You can flatten the peppers to have an even roasting by gently pressing them down with a wooden spatula. Remove promptly to avoid burning the peppers (burned peppers render a bitter taste). Place roasted peppers and peeled garlic cloves in the saucepan.
• Now, roast the Arbol peppers. Arbol peppers will roast quite faster than guajillo peppers, that is why we're roasting them separately. Once roasted, place them in the saucepan with the rest of the peppers.
• Turn heat to medium-high and turn off once the water starts boiling. Cover the saucepan and wait for 20 minutes. This soaking time will help to soften the peppers.
• Place peppers and garlic into your blender jar along with 1/2 cup of water. Discard any leftover soaking water. Process until you have a smooth sauce. Pour the sauce back in the saucepan, stir in the granulated chicken bouillon, taste to check if more salt is needed according to your own taste, and season with salt and pepper. Turn the heat to medium-high and cook for 5 minutes, just enough time to allow the chicken bouillon to dissolve and for the flavors to blend.

SALSA ROJA

Steps:

• Tear all the chiles into large pieces and toast them in a large dry skillet over medium heat until they change color a bit, about 2 minutes. Add the spices and continue to toast for 2 to 3 minutes until everything is fragrant. Remove from heat and carefully add about 1 cup of hot water to just cover the chiles. Turn the heat to low and simmer for about 15 minutes.
• Preheat the broiler. Put the quartered tomatoes, sliced onion, and whole garlic cloves onto a roasting tray, spreading out evenly. Drizzle with plenty of olive oil and season well with salt and pepper and sprinkle with cilantro sprigs. Broil until everything is nicely charred, about 10 minutes (you want lots of deep rich color so don't be afraid if some of the edges get pretty black).
• Add the chile mixture to a blender and puree. Remove the tomato/onion mixture from the roasting pan and carefully add it to the blender, (it will be hot). Blend until smooth (you may need to work in 2 batches). Once everything is pureed, pour the mixture back into the pot over low heat adding a little water if the salsa is too thick. Stir in the sugar and lime juice and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Transfer to a large serving bowl and serve.

TUNA TACO SEVICHE STYLE WITH AVOCADO-WATERMELON SALSA

Steps:

• To prepare the seviche, in a medium-sized bowl combine the tuna, lime juice, lemon juice, serrano pepper, and salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste. Make sure the ingredients cover the tuna, and let it stand for 1 hour, occasionally folding ingredients with a rubber spatula.
• To begin the salsa, combine the watermelon, avocado, red onion, garlic, parsley, cilantro, lime, peppers, salt, pepper, oil, and tequila in a medium-sized bowl. Toss all ingredients together gently. Let it stand for 30 minutes.
• To warm the tortillas, season a hot grill or non-stick pan with a touch of oil, salt, and freshly ground black pepper (to season the grill, take a thick cloth pour tablespoon of vegetable oil on cloth and rub cloth on grill, then sprinkle grills with salt and pepper). Put the tortillas on the grill until they are warmed through on both sides.
• To plate, spoon 2 tablespoons of the tuna on the tortilla, followed by 1 tablespoon of salsa, cheddar cheese, sour cream, and lettuce and caramelized onions.

CHILE RELLENO WITH GROUND TURKEY AND SALSA ROJA

Steps:

• To make the salsa roja, add the tomatoes, sliced onions, smashed garlic, cilantro stems, pasilla chile and 2 cups of the chicken stock to a saucepan. Turn the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until softened, about 20 minutes.
• Transfer to a blender and reserve the pan. Blend the sauce until smooth. Add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil to the saucepan and transfer the sauce back into the pan. Bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce to a simmer on medium heat and cook until reduced and thickened, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, add the water, the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and salt to taste to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and add the rice. Bring back to a boil, then cover and reduce to a simmer and cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Fluff with a fork, then set aside.
• Put the poblano peppers onto an open flame on the stovetop and char until black on all sides, turning occasionally, 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap to steam until the skin pulls away, about 10 minutes. Using a clean kitchen towel, gently remove the skin from the pepper, being careful not to break the flesh. Cut a slit lengthwise down the center of one side of the pepper and remove the seeds and ribs.
• Heat a large saute pan with a little canola oil. Add the ground turkey and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until it starts to brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the diced onions and cumin and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes. Add the minced garlic and tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Add the remaining 1/2 cup chicken stock and reduce by half. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a large bowl and add the beans and cooked rice. Toss to combine, then spread onto a sheet tray to lightly cool for 10 minutes.
• Fill each pepper with 2 slices of Oaxaca cheese and some of the filling. Be careful not to overfill the peppers. Secure with toothpicks and season the exterior of the peppers with salt.
• Place the egg whites into one large bowl and the yolks into another. Whip the egg whites with a hand mixer until fluffy and they form stiff peaks. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt and whip for another 30 seconds. Beat the egg yolks until the volume doubles, 1 to 2 minutes. Sprinkle the cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of the flour into the whipped egg whites, and then pour in the beaten egg yolks. Gently whisk by hand to combine. The consistency should be light - if you use a hand mixer you risk deflating the mixture.
• Heat a large cast-iron pan over medium-high heat. Add the canola oil and heat until it shimmers. Test the oil by dropping a small amount of the batter into the pan.
• Spread the remaining 1 cup flour onto a sheet tray. Dredge the stuffed peppers in the flour, shaking off any excess, then dip into the egg batter. Lay the peppers into the oil and fry until golden brown, turning on all sides, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from the pan and carefully take out the toothpicks.
• To serve, spoon some of the salsa roja onto the bottom of each plate. Place the fried chile over the top. Garnish with jalapeño, queso fresco and cilantro leaves.

CHARRED SALSA ROJA

Steps:

• Heat a large cast-iron skillet over high heat. Add the tomatoes, garlic, chiles and onion and cook, turning occasionally, until charred on all sides, about 3 minutes for the garlic, 4 to 5 minutes for the chiles, 6 to 8 minutes for the onion and 8 to 10 minutes for the tomatoes. Transfer to a plate to cool. When cool enough to handle, peel the garlic.
• Add the tomatoes, garlic, chiles, onion, cilantro, lime juice and 1 tablespoon salt to a blender and puree on low speed, stopping to scrape the sides and bottom to ensure an even texture, until the salsa is almost smooth but some small pieces remain. Season with salt and more lime juice if needed.