Recipe by Rick Bayles
12 oz ripe tomatoes
Fresh Serrano Chiles to taste (roughly 1/2 to 1 oz total, more if you love the spice) stemmed
12 or so sprigs of Cilantro
1 large clove Garlic, peeled and very finely chopped (optional)
1 small White Onion
1 1/2 tsp fresh Lime Juice
Salt, about 3/4 tsp
Core the tomatoes, then cut in half widthwise and squeeze out the seeds if you wish (it will give the sauce a less rustic appearance). Finely dice the flesh by slicing it into roughly 1/4” thick pieces, then cutting each slice into small dice. Scoop into a bow. Cut the chiles in half lengthwise (wear rubber gloves if your hands are sensitive to the piquancy of the chiles) and scrape out the seeds if you wish (not only will this make the sals less rustic, but it will make it less picante). Chop the chiles as finely as you can, then add them to the tomatoes. Carefully bunch up the cilantro sprigs, and, with a sharp knife, slice them 1/16” thick, stems and all, working your way down from the leafy end until you run out of leaves. Scoop the chopped cilantro into the tomato mixture along with the optional garlic. Next, finely dice the onion with a knife, scoop it into a small strainer, then rinse it under cold water. Shake to remove the excess water and add tot he tomato mixture. Taste and season with lime juice and salt, and let stand if you have a little time, for the flavors to meld before using or scooping into a salsa dish and serving.