# Like Lava Red Hot Salsa



## ErgoErgun (Jul 30, 2006)

I've been trying to make a slightly chunky hot salsa with seeds that is bright, bright red, and so far I haven't had luck.  I tried using fresh roma tomatoes but when blended they turned the color more yellow.  Then I tried boiling sundried tomatoes but when blended they turn the color more brown.  In both cases I blended the tomatoes with chiles de arbol (red chilies), garlic powder, and salt.  I really need help.  I want a salsa that just doesn't look bright, bright red but also has great flavor.  Any help?  Thanks.


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## auntdot (Jul 30, 2006)

Just an idea, but have you thought of using canned tomatoes?

Can make a really lovely red tomato sauce with very ripe tomatoes, but except for a short time during the year cannot get them.  And so use canned.


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## ErgoErgun (Jul 30, 2006)

That's not a bad idea -- you think canned whole tomatoes will keep it very red?


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## Alix (Jul 30, 2006)

Ergo, just use a couple tablespoons of tomato paste, that will give you the colour and consistency you want. Check out this site for a recipe. Look under Tomato Salsa.


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## ErgoErgun (Jul 30, 2006)

*hey*

hey the site leads to a .pdf "all things pickled..."


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## ErgoErgun (Jul 30, 2006)

the dilemna i'm also facing is, once i get the color how can i make the flavor excellent without diluting the color?  won't garlic cloves, red onion, etc, delute the color?  thanks,


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## Alix (Jul 30, 2006)

ErgoErgun said:
			
		

> hey the site leads to a .pdf "all things pickled..."


 
Yes it does...scroll down til you see the tomato salsa recipe. It is an amazing recipe and the one I use regularly.


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## karadekoolaid (Aug 1, 2006)

ErgoErgun said:
			
		

> I've been trying to make a slightly chunky hot salsa with seeds that is bright, bright red, and so far I haven't had luck. I tried using fresh roma tomatoes but when blended they turned the color more yellow. Then I tried boiling sundried tomatoes but when blended they turn the color more brown. In both cases I blended the tomatoes with chiles de arbol (red chilies), garlic powder, and salt. I really need help. I want a salsa that just doesn't look bright, bright red but also has great flavor. Any help? Thanks.


Let me see if I can help. 
First you said "with seeds"... is that tomato seeds, or chile seeds? If it's tomato seeds, I don't see any problem, If it's chile seeds - no problem there either. Their effect on the colour of the sauce will be negligible. Chile seeds, incidentally, are _not_ the part of the chile which holds most heat. The vein, or placenta, does. 
With the ingredients you suggest above, CHOP the Roma tomatoes, don't blend them. Make sure they're very, very ripe. Add a re-hydrated sundried tomato or two - not too much. Use _fresh_ garlic and an onion; a red onion, if you like. Don't go blending anything till the salsa is cooked ( if you like it cooked; I make most of mine fresh).Add a tiny amount of ground cumin and a pinch of oregano. Add a 1/2 tsp of annato powder, too. If the sauce is still a little pale, add a tsp of paprika powder. 
Allow to cool. THEN blend quickly, if you want. An alternative for a chunky sauce is simply to use a potato masher. 
Course, if you really want it red, you could add some of those famous Mexican beetles called _Cochinilla_, commonly known as cochineal...


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