Salsa in the city: Restaurant owners will share variety of recipes using locally grown ingredients / LJWorld.com

Archive for Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Salsas from Tortas Jalisco, 534 Frontier Road, will be among those featured at the Lawrence Farmers' Market on Saturday. Owners from Global Cafe, 820 Mass., and La Parrilla, 814 Mass., will share recipes as well. The freshly prepared salsas will feature local ingredients sold at the market.

By Sarah Henning

July 30, 2008

Salsa demonstration

Angel Alvarez of Tortas Jalisco restaurant demonstrates how to make two types of salsa. Enlarge video

Photo by Richard Gwin

Angel Alvarez, who owns Tortas Jalisco, 534 Frontier Road, roasts vegetables before mixing them into a salsa recipe. The technique gives salsa a smokier flavor.

Photo by Richard Gwin

Angel Alvarez, who owns Tortas Jalisco, 534 Frontier Road, works on one of three salsas he will prepare at the Lawrence Farmers' Market on Saturday.

Past Event

When: Saturday, August 2, 2008, 8:15 a.m. to 10 a.m.
Where: Farmers Market (8th and N.H.), 8th and New Hampshire streets, Lawrence
Cost: Free
More on this event....

Tomatoes. Tomatillos. Jalapenos. Onion. Corn. Cilantro. Garlic. Spices.

This Saturday, shoppers at the Lawrence Farmers' Market can test all of these ingredients combined just for them into one of many flavorful, local concoctions at the market's "Salsalicious" event.

Three restaurant owners - Kate Gonzalez of Global Cafe, 820 Mass., Alejandro Lule of La Parrilla, 814 Mass., and Angel Alvarez of Tortas Jalisco, 534 Frontier Road, will prepare fresh salsa for marketgoers using mostly ingredients from the market itself.

It's also timely. A potent strain of salmonella this summer had investigators looking at tomatoes, jalapenos and cilantro - three key salsa ingredients - as culprits.

Mercedes Taylor-Puckett, market coordinator, says that for those who are worried about getting the bug, local ingredients, such as the ones used by the chefs on Saturday, are the way to go and still have the salsa you love.

The event will combine the cooking demonstrations with the popular salsa contest from last year. Those interested in competing can download an application from www.lawrencefarmersmarket.com or make the salsa and fill out the form before judging at 8:45 a.m. Winners in each division will win gift cards or market tokens, Taylor-Puckett says.

Gonzalez, of Global Cafe, says that for those who usually pop open a jar of salsa instead of trying to make it because they believe it might be too hard, she's glad to show just how easy it can be.

"There are things that anybody can do and they can get all of their stuff at the market and just go home and make something really good," Gonzalez says. "That's, you know, fun and easy."

Different methods

Salsa success depends on knowing how to improvise, Gonzalez says. She likes to use the "everything but the kitchen sink" method to making her red sauce.

"I don't usually use recipes. It's more of a creative explosion. My dad owned a southwestern restaurant for (around) five years, and I learned a lot about making salsa from him - but I never really follow a recipe," Gonzalez says. "Sometimes it's 'a whatever is in the fridge' kind of deal, because salsa is easy and good like that."

Gonzalez says that in addition to whatever is in the fridge, she also will throw in cilantro, her favorite salsa ingredient. Most of the time, she's making a roasted salsa that she sells at the market, where she is the "tamale lady." But when she's making it just for herself, she'll stick with salsa that's as raw as possible.

"I prefer that refreshing, cold, chunked salsa," she says.

Seasonal salsa

Alvarez, of Tortas Jalisco, has a bit more of a controlled method to making his salsas, though he admits he also doesn't use recipes. He just adjusts his sauces - in fact everything at his restaurant - based on what the ingredients are available each day.

Alvarez plans to make three different salsas for the event - a chunky pico de gallo, a green salsa and a roasted salsa. He says it shows that anyone can tailor a salsa to his or her taste - hot, mild, raw, roasted, red, green, chunky or thin.

"I tried to make three different salsas (that are) really simple and really different. Totally different flavors, different colors," Alvarez says. "I tried to use the things they grow around here, so basically tomatoes, jalapenos, cilantro and onions and garlic."

No matter how you like it, Gonzalez recommends trying to learn now while the ingredients you're most likely to use are in season.

"Tomatoes off the vine are so much better," she says. "Salsa in December just isn't the same."

Discussion

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30 July 2008
at 7:04 a.m.

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Informed (Anonymous) says…

Well, I know where I'll be on Saturday morning.
30 July 2008
at 8:34 a.m.

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cog_nate (Nate Poell) says…

Yup, I'm there.La Parrilla's smoked habanero salsa is the best in town (to my tastes, at least). Can't wait to taste the others, though.
30 July 2008
at 9:13 a.m.

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bearded_gnome (Anonymous) says…

be sure you taste the Tortas' green, it is incredible. warning, its usually a bit hot too.
30 July 2008
at 10:55 a.m.

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julienstockwell (Anonymous) says…

This is so cool. I know where I'm gonna be Saturday.
30 July 2008
at 10:55 a.m.

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walkdog262 (Anonymous) says…

Will the J-W be posting these recipes? La Parilla salsa is one of the things I miss most since moving away from Lawrence. I'd love to be able to come close to making it.
30 July 2008
at 11:01 a.m.

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ski_bum (Anonymous) says…

I want La Parillas recipe as well…sooo good. I miss Lawrence!
30 July 2008
at 1:42 p.m.

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coolmarv (Anonymous) says…

I love the traditional fresh salsa. Tomato, cilantro, onion, lime, salt, pepper and hot peppers. Below is one I really enjoy.corn, tomato & avacodo salsa(cornomatacado)2-cups corn (fresh is best)6-tbs red onion (minced)4-cloves garlic4-tsp oil (olive or canola)1-tsp cumin1-whole jalepeno (minced) or to tastemix all in an oven proof pan and broil directly under heat for 10 minutes stirring a couple of times. remove and add the following.2-cupstomato (chopped) red, yellow whatever6-tbslime juice (fresh is best)4-tspcider vinegar4-tbscilantro (chopped)2-avacodos (chopped) salt and pepper to tastemix all ingredients together and serve warm or chilled. if made ahead wait to add the avacado until it is served.

30 July 2008
at 9:52 p.m.

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KSWatch (Todd Epp) says…

Finally, some news you can use—and dip!
31 July 2008
at 8:04 a.m.

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Multidisciplinary (Anonymous) says…

Hey gang, email some recipes you get there, I can't go!And frankly, I usually don't make my own, but for some reason the tomato shortage and now the pepper scare has me craving homemade!lol