My husband eats chips and salsa like I eat popcorn: after the children have gone to sleep, in peace and quiet, as a way to unwind and relax. I churn out a batch of my simple salsa about once a week, but sometimes I’ll go off road a bit and do a salsa verde or a roasted red salsa or add something fun like black beans or corn or whatever. Usually it is a function of whatever I have in my kitchen. This salsa was something I threw together because of a couple poblanos getting a little soft in my fridge. Since the elements are broiled and charred, it has a much deeper flavor than my usual, which is quite bright and acidic. The product is delicious, but the method is dead simple and lends itself to any amount of variation. Look through your fridge and be creative!

Ingredients:

• 2 large poblanos,

• 2 to 3 jalapenos

• 3 cloves garlic, unpeeled

• 1 onion, peeled and halved

• 1/2 pint grape tomatoes

• 1 15 oz can fire roasted tomatoes, optional

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• squeeze of lime

• salt to taste

Instructions:

1. Turn the broiler in your oven on high. Set an oven rack about 6 inches beneath the broiler. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with a non stick spray.

2. Rub the poblanos, jalapenos, garlic, onion, and grape tomatoes with olive oil and spread out on the baking sheet. Cook under the broiler until the skin on the peppers are blistered and blackened all over, flipping to cook both sides. Rearrange as necessary to ensure even cooking. The onions and tomatoes should also get softened and charred. Keep an eye on the garlic and remove it early if it looks to be burning.

3. Remove from the oven and let sit. Rub or peel the blackened skin off the peppers, then remove the seeds and chop roughly. Squeeze the garlic out of its skin. Remove the blackest parts of the onion.

4. Combine everything in a blender and pulse a few times until you get your desired consistency. Some people like a chunky salsa, some like it a bit finer. If you like a tomato-y salsa, add the can of fire-roasted tomatoes (drain off the excess liquid first).

5. Add of squeeze of lime to brighten the flavor. Salt to taste. Store in a jar in the fridge for about a week.