Salsa Picante

from The Greens Cookbook by Deborah Madison

4 medium tomatoes (about 1 pound)
1/2 small red onion
2 to 4 tablespoons cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped
3 cloves garlic, roughtly chopped
1 to 2 serrano or jalapeno chilies
salt
rice wine vinegar to taste

Bring a small pan of water toa boil, immerse the tomatoes for a count of ten, and immediately set them in a bowl of cold water. cut out the cores, then remove the skins and squeeze out the seeds. Or, for a more rustic salsa, simply wash the tomatoes and chop them.

Blend the onion, cilantro, and garlic together with a little of the tomato for about 20 seconds; then add the rest of the tomato and blend very briefly, retaining some texture.

Mince or puree the chili and add it, to taste, to the sauce. Season with salt and a 1/4 teaspoon or more vinegar to bring up the flavors.

Makes about 2 1/2 cups.