Jalapeño Salsa

By Christy Rost

Whipping up a great Super Bowl buffet is easy when you make flavorful Jalapeño Salsa and Chunky Guacamole. Whether you love the game or prefer the commercials, you'll score points with guests when you serve these delectable dips.

Ingredients:

2 ¼		pounds ripe tomatoes, about 7 medium
3		large cloves garlic, peeled
½		cup chopped sweet onion
2		large jalapeño chiles
2		tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
¾		teaspoon coarse salt
		freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2		tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
		Tabasco sauce, to taste

Bring a saucepan of water to boil, lower tomatoes into water, and boil 30 seconds to loosen skin from tomatoes. Peel, quarter, and seed tomatoes. Place tomatoes into bowl of a food processor; add garlic and sweet onion.

Slice stem end from jalapeños; discard. Slice the chiles in half, and with tip of a knife, trim out membrane and seeds; discard. Chop chiles into several pieces and add them to the processor, along with lime juice, salt, and pepper.

Pulse the mixture until the vegetables are finely chopped; do not overprocess. Transfer salsa to a small mixing bowl; stir in chopped cilantro. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and chill several hours or overnight. Flavors will meld while chilling.

Recipe makes approximately 3 ¾ cups salsa.