Roasted Chipotle Salsa

I'm a fan of mexican food. Ok, ok, I LOVE mexican food. If I could have, I probably would have married it. Yep, a solid veggie burrito or enchilada could serve as the only food I eat for the rest of my life. (For Tim, it would be Italian, and specifically pizza. Good thing pizza is my 2nd favorite food!)

Unfortunately for me, as soon as we stepped off the plane in Germany, it was painfully obvious how lacking they were in Mexican food (anything Latin American actually, they really are pork and potato folks over here). You know those gleaming food isles in the US with tons and tons of ethnic food?? We have none of that (sigh). I did, after a few sad months, find a Mexican store in Munich! Hip, hop, hooray! Just 1, but hey, that's all I need. And they thankfully stock some of the basics I'm used to (dried chilis, black beans, chipotle chilis in adobo sauce, corn tortillas, etc). I think the first time I went there, I practically kissed the woman, I was so happy.

After that, we stopped pretending we liked the Fuego salsa they sell in our regular grocery store (they offer one store bought salsa option, which is Pace Picante-esk and a cross between ketchup and spaghetti sauce, with chunks of onion and green peppers). But forget all that, I now had the means to whip up our own easy, tangy, smoky salsa... I just needed a recipe.

The Roasted Chipotle Salsa recipe below had me at 'hello'. Why? Because anything with Chipotle chilis immediately has my attention.

This salsa is soooo tasty, and super easy to make! Requires a bit of chopping, some time to broil, then zap it all in a food processor, and your done.

Makes a great dip, especially if you want to offer a few options (like guacamole, this chipotle salsa, and then maybe a fresh tomato salsa). We like it best as a sauce for our Chickpea and Corn Fritters. Really, any salsa needs you have, this recipe fits the bill. It also froze well, and was just as tasty 2 weeks later.

Roasted Chipotle Salsa
from Cooking Light

1 1/2 cups chopped onion
3 medium tomatoes
6 garlic cloves, unpeeled
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup lime juice
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, undrained*

* Chipotle chilis in adobo sauce are very, very hot. They are responsible for the great flavor of this salsa, but if you are not a fan of spicy heat, just use 1 chili from the can to start with.

(sorry, this is the best photo I can muster right now!)

Preheat broiler.
Place the first 3 ingredients on a baking sheet; broil for 20 minutes or until blackened, stirring often. Remove garlic cloves; squeeze to extract garlic pulp. Discard skins.
Place onion, tomatoes, and garlic in a food processor; add the remaining ingredients, and process until smooth. Serve warm or at room temperature with baked tortilla chips.

Guten Appetit!