This salsa is mild and easily adjustable to increase the heat to your liking. Smoky shishito peppers cook quickly and balance the brightness of the roasted tomatoes. Serve it however you are inspired, or freeze it to enjoy once tomato season has passed.
Over medium-high heat, roast the shishito peppers in a dry cast-iron pan. Stir occasionally until peppers are blistered on both sides, about ten minutes. Let peppers cool and remove stems.
Slice tomatoes in half and arrange flesh side up on a roasting pan along with quartered onion, garlic, and the jalapeno. Sprinkle with salt and generous amounts of pepper. If you want more roasted pepper flavor, you can add optional hot peppers at this time, or for more heat, add the peppers raw in the final step. Roast vegetables at 400F for 30 minutes. Let vegetables cool.
Add peppers, tomatoes, roasted jalapeno, and onion to a food processor. Squeeze the roasted garlic into the blender and discard the paper skin. Run food processor until vegetables are similar consistency. Add your cilantro stems and continue processing.
Taste your salsa. Add more salt and pepper to your liking and additional raw hot peppers if desired. This recipe creates a thick paste-like salsa. For a more fluid consistency, add water in small increments, starting with ¼ cup or less.
If you don’t plan to eat salsa within the following days, pack it in freezer safe storage containers and save it for later in the season.
