Inspired by the blog Homesick Texan, which I originally found via Cup of Jo.
Try and find those legit tortilla chips at your local grocery. You might even want to give the chips a squeeze of lime and warm them up a bit. Ohhhhh buddy.
Ingredients
6-7 Roma tomatoes, quartered
4-5 Green onions or 1/2 regular onion, quartered
3-4 cloves garlic (leave the peels on)
1-2 Jalapenos or Serrano chiles
Handful of green pepitas
Smoked paprika, chipotle, or smoked sea salt (optional)
Small handful of cilantro (optional)
Salt and pepper, to taste
Directions
Turn the oven on to broil. (Alternatively you can slow-roast everything at 400 degrees F if you have an extra hour to spare. Both options work). Line a baking dish with foil. Place in the baking dish the quartered tomatoes, whole garlic cloves, the chilies, and the onions. Sprinkle a little with salt. If broiling, place the pan under the broiler and keep an eye on it...should usually take between 10-15 minutes. After the first five minutes, check to see if the chiles have some blistered spots on them...if they do, remove them and the garlic(now peel the garlic) and place in a blender. If not, give them a few minutes.
Let the tomatoes broil five-ten minutes longer, and keep in mind that it's ok if the tomatoes turn a little black in parts... that adds to the smokiness of the salsa. While the veggies are baking, throw the pepitas into a saute pan and turn the heat onto medium, giving the pan a good shake every now and then to evenly toast the seeds. They'll start to pop around a bit (don't be scared! It's kind of fun.) once they start to reach a golden brown color, remove from heat.
Once the tomatoes are done roasting, add into the blender with the chilies and garlic, along with the onions. Give the blender a whirl under under the 'chop' option if you have it, then add in the pepitas. Add some salt and pepper, and blend until smooth. Add in a little bit of smoked paprika, chipotle, or smoked sea salt if you have it, to your taste. If it's too thick, add just a little bit of water to loosen the tomato mixture. Now is the time to add in some cleaned cilantro if you wish. Continue to blend and add spices as they suit your taste, and serve warm with chips.
Congrats! You've just made the best salsa ever. I knew you could do it.
