Any time Jim Sanders brings his acclaimed salsa to the office, it’s cause for a celebration! Our staff Cinco de Mayo nacho bar was such an occasion, when he made a large batch and agreed to share the recipe. For your own Cinco de Mayo and other summer meals … we’d highly encourage trying “Jim’s Famous Salsa!” Jim says the mixture is actually the result of a “recipe swap” with a neighbor. “I gave him my creamed corn recipe and I got the salsa,” he says. “Every batch is different . . . that’s what makes it fun.”
Ingredients
- One can crushed tomatoes
- 6-8 fresh chopped tomatoes
- One large chopped white onion
- One bunch chopped green onion
- Cilantro to taste
- Serrano pepper to taste
- Crushed red pepper to taste
- Salt to taste
- Lawry’s seasoned pepper to taste
- Lawry’s garlic salt to taste
Instructions
- Add everything together in a bowl and use a handheld blender to adjust the consistency.
- If you like it hot: Add more crushed red pepper, and/or Tabasco sauce.
This sounds great, Jim! We use jallepeno, cumin and a splash of vinegar. But the secret ingredient for me is Hatch green chile.
Thanks for sharing. Looking forward to trying your recipe!
Jim! I fully appreciate your recipe. But you need to know I make the best fresh salsa in the Midwest.
Not unlike yours, but here’s the difference. Fresh garlic. A squeeze of fresh lime. Chopped green bell pepper. And even a bit of chopped carrots. (That’s mostly just for color.) But the biggest question is, why would you introduce canned tomatoes to a bowl of fresh veggies!? I would skip the Lawry’s spices because that also can take away from the bright taste of all just-harvested goodness.
My lunch the last two days was corn chips dipping into a cereal bowl with my fresh salsa, a blop of sour cream, and a half-cup of grated cheddar. But alas, it’s all gone. Today’s lunch will probably be PB&J.
Jay Payleitner
Chicago
author/producer/scriptwriter