Best Fresco Salsa Recipes

FRESCO SALSA

Steps:

• In a bowl, mix the tomatoes, onion, red bell pepper, yellow bell pepper, cilantro, lime juice, and salt. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

CORN FRITTERS WITH HERB SALSA AND FRESH CHEESE: AREPITAS WITH CHIMICHURRI AND QUESO FRESCO

Steps:

• Make the chimichurri: In a food processor, pulse the onion until finely chopped but not pureed. Transfer the onion to a bowl. Add the olive oil, lime juice, parsley, cilantro, oregano leaves, garlic, and jalapeno and pulse until finely chopped. Transfer the herb mixture to the bowl with the onion and stir to combine. Season the chimichurri with salt and pepper.
• Make the arepitas: In a large bowl, whisk together the harina pan, Parmesan, and salt. In another large bowl, whisk together the water, milk, and 3 tablespoons oil. Stir the milk mixture into the flour mixture. Using your hand, knead the mixture until a firm but malleable dough is formed. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and let the dough rest for 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, pour the oil for frying into a large pot to a depth of 2 inches. Heat the oil over medium heat until a deep-fry thermometer inserted in the oil registers 365 degrees F.
• Form the dough into 1 to 1 1/2-inch round balls. Using the palms of your hands, form the dough balls into rounded "UFO" shapes.
• Working in batches, add the dough balls to the oil and fry, turning occasionally, until puffed and golden brown. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the arepitas to paper towel-lined plate and season with salt.
• Serve the arepas in a bowl with the chimichurri and queso fresco in separate bowls on the side.

GRILLED PORTOBELLO AND RAJAS SALSA TACO WITH QUESO FRESCO

Steps:

• Heat a grill to medium high.
• For the Bobby's rub for beef and pork: Combine the ancho chile, coriander, mustard, paprika, black pepper, salt, chile de arbol, cumin and oregano in a bowl. Set aside 2 tablespoons for the mushrooms. (Store the remaining spice rub, tightly covered, in a cool, dry place for up to 6 months.)
• For the portobello mushrooms and rajas: Brush the mushrooms generously with canola oil and season the gill sides with the reserved 2 tablespoons spice rub. Brush the Anaheim chile and bell peppers with canola oil and season with salt and pepper. Put the mushrooms spice-side down on the grill. Put the peppers on the grill and cover the grill. Grill the mushrooms, turning once, until a knife inserted in the thickest part meets no resistance, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a cutting board and tent with foil to keep warm. Grill the Anaheim chile and bell peppers, turning, until charred on all sides, 10 to 15 minutes (the Anaheim will take a few minutes less than the bell peppers). Transfer the peppers and chile to a bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap and let rest 10 minutes.
• For the tortillas and toppings: While the peppers rest, warm the tortillas on the grill a few seconds on each side; keep warm.
• Remove the skins and seeds from the bell peppers and chile. Thinly slice the peppers, chile and mushrooms and combine in a bowl. Add the cilantro, olive oil, scallions, Fresno chiles, lime juice and salt and pepper.
• Fill the tortillas with the vegetable mixture and top with queso fresco and a squeeze of lime.

CHICKEN, AVOCADO&QUESO FRESCO TOSTADA; STEAK TACOS W/ AVOCADO&CHARRED TOMATO SALSA

Steps:

• Steak Tacos 3 medium tomatoes, halved and cored 1 fresh Serrano chili, stemmed Salt 1 pound flank steak ½ tablespoon olive oil 3 tablespoons finely diced red onion 3 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro 2 large ripe avocados, halved and pitted 2 limes, cut into wedges 8 fresh corn tortillas 1. Place tomatoes and chili on a roasting tray and set under the broiler. Roast, turning once, until charred all over, about 12 minutes total. Place charred tomatoes and chili in a food processor and pulse until a coarse salsa forms, about 1 minute. Season with salt to taste. Set aside. 2. Season steak with salt. Set a grill pan over high heat. Once pan is very hot, swirl in oil. Lay in steak and sear until charred and medium rare, 3-5 minutes per side. Remove steak from heat and set aside. 3. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, toss onions with cilantro and a pinch of salt. In another small bowl, make guacamole: Mash avocado with a fork. Season to taste with juice from a few lime wedges and salt. 4. Set a stovetop burner to high. Using tongs, hold each tortilla over burner until soft and charred in spots, less than 1 minute per side. Slice steak thinly against the grain. 5. Smear guacamole over tortillas. Top with sliced steak and onion-cilantro mixture. Serve with salsa and remaining lime wedges on the side.

ROASTED CORN, TOMATO AND QUESO FRESCO SALSA

Steps:

• 1. Cut the Roma tomatos in half across the short axis. Squeeze, with the cut side down over a bowl or sink to remove seeds and juice. Dice the tomatos into a 1/4 inch dice and place into a large bowl.
• 2. Shuck the fresh sweet corn. I roast it over the open flame on my gas stove until there are brown spots and it is popping. Cut the stalk off the cob so it will sit flat. I stand the end of the cob up on the bottom of a wide flat bowl or pan and cut the kernels off with a sharp knife and let them fall into the bowl. Add to the bowl with the tomatos.
• 3. Cut the jalapenos in half length wise and remove the seeds and membrane. Slice each half of the jalapeno into very thin strips. Pile the strips up and cut cross-wise into very small dice. I always taste a small piece of the chili to make judge the heat before adding to the bowl-you can always add more, but it is hard to remove once added. Cut the roots off the green onions. Slice the onions thinly, including the lower half of the green part. Clean the cilantro--I wash it and spin it in my salad spinner to dry it. You can roll it in a clean dish towel also. Chop the cilantro including the upper portion of the stems. Add all items to the bowl.
• 4. Crumble the Queso Fresco into the bowl with the other ingredients. Add salt--I always start with around a teaspoon, and adjust after I have add the lime juice. Squeeze the juice of three of the limes into the bowl. Stir together and taste--I always taste with tortilla chips--and add more salt or lime juice if needed. This is ready to serve as soon as it is made, but, it can be made the night before. It will accumulate juice which you will want to drain if there is too much there.
• 5. I adjust all ingredients to suit my taste and/or those I am cooking for.

POMEGRANATE AND QUESO FRESCO SALSA

Steps:

• 1 Toast the pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat until golden, 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate to cool.
• 2 In a small bowl, mix the pomegranate seeds, basil, queso fresco, and cooled pine nuts. Drizzle with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

GRILLED PORTOBELLO AND RAJAS SALSA TACO WITH QUESO FRESCO

Steps:

• Heat a grill to medium high.For the Bobby's rub for beef and pork: Combine the ancho chile, coriander, mustard, paprika, black pepper, salt, chile de arbol, cumin and oregano in a bowl. Set aside 2 tablespoons for the mushrooms. (Store the remaining spice rub, tightly covered, in a cool, dry place for up to 6 months.)For the portobello mushrooms and rajas: Brush the mushrooms generously with canola oil and season the gill sides with the reserved 2 tablespoons spice rub. Brush the Anaheim chile and bell peppers with canola oil and season with salt and pepper. Put the mushrooms spice-side down on the grill. Put the peppers on the grill and cover the grill. Grill the mushrooms, turning once, until a knife inserted in the thickest part meets no resistance, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a cutting board and tent with foil to keep warm. Grill the Anaheim chile and bell peppers, turning, until charred on all sides, 10 to 15 minutes (the Anaheim will take a few minutes less than the bell peppers). Transfer the peppers and chile to a bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap and let rest 10 minutes.For the tortillas and toppings: While the peppers rest, warm the tortillas on the grill a few seconds on each side; keep warm.Remove the skins and seeds from the bell peppers and chile. Thinly slice the peppers, chile and mushrooms and combine in a bowl. Add the cilantro, olive oil, scallions, Fresno chiles, lime juice and salt and pepper.Fill the tortillas with the vegetable mixture and top with queso fresco and a squeeze of lime.
• Recipe courtesy of Bobby Flay