Before you even get water at a restaurant, you're served chips and salsa. It's the basis for Tex-Mex food, and it leaves the options open from enchiladas to barbecue. The art of making salsa is a big deal in Texas because there is a myriad of flavors, spices, and herbs that make each type unique, much like fine wine. There are entire, intense contests based on home recipes made in the blender, and I find that even though salsas such as the East Side Cafe salsa are delicious, the homemade ones have something much more authentic that can't be accomplished except on a small scale. Perhaps it is because that is the way food was originally prepared, but when my mom makes homemade salsa, it tastes like water in the desert (and believe me, you'll need plenty of water):
Texas Homestyle Salsa
1 C coarsely chopped onion
1 C cilantro, leaves and stems
1 jalapeno (or more to taste), coarsely chopped, seeds removed
1 clove garlic, coarsely chopped
2 (14.5 oz) cans diced tomatoes, drained
3 T lime juice, I use about 2 times this much
1/4 t salt
Blend. Yield 4 C.
Eat.
The two deciding factors are the chunkiness and the spicyness. My host family had never even heard of 'jalapenos' or 'pinto beans' that I needed for my family's salsa, so I had to improvise a bit. 'Tortilla chips' were also nonexistant! I was quite shocked to find Carrefour bountiful with cheeses but lacking the basic necessities for the chips & salsa experience.Tomatoes define the texture and I prefer the smoother, runny salsas rather than the large pieces that make up the thicker stuff. Jalapenos are the mainstay pepper in Texan salsa, but I like to substitute with an occasional bell pepper. Lemon juice gives it a zap of tartness that separates my family's salsa from others. But most of all, the crunching of the chip and the spicy burst make chips & salsa such a desirable food. Just don’t forget to have plenty of water nearby!
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I haven't made salsa lately, but I'm sure Gil and I will get right on this. And yes, your mother's cooking is the best, so you are at risk of slimming even more, so I include my suggestion for pecan pie: preheat to 415'F, combine ingredients except pecans in a bowl (3 eggs beaten, 1 cup sugar, 1 cup real maple syrup, 2 tablespoons melted butter or E. V. olive oil or a combination, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1 tablespoon Kahlua optional), then 1 1/4 cup pecans. Pour into well chilled or frozen deep pie crust (bought or made). Cook at 415'F 15 minutes and turn the oven down to 350'F and cook 35 to 40 minutes more. It should be brown and there should be no liquid-y wave across the top when the pie is jiggled. Serve the sliced pie with plates, forks, and napkins. This recipe is just like the Karo recipe, without Karo.
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