Ingredients:

  • 1.5 lbs Roma tomatoes, quartered
  • 0.5 medium white onion, roughly chopped
  • 2 cloves fresh garlic, smashed
  • 2 jalapeño peppers, stems removed (seeds can be kept for heat)
  • 1 bunch fresh cilantro, loosely packed with stems
  • 2 tbsp lime juice, freshly squeezed
  • 1 tsp fine sea salt
  • 0.5 tsp ground cumin
  • 0.25 tsp granulated sugar

Instructions:

  1. Prep the aromatics. Roughly chop 0.5 medium white onion and smash 2 cloves of garlic. Remove the stems from 2 jalapeños (keep seeds for heat, or remove for mild).
  2. Mince the base. Place the onion, garlic, and jalapeños in the food processor. Pulse 3–5 times until they look like coarse sand. Note: This ensures you don't bite into a giant chunk of raw garlic later.
  3. Prepare the tomatoes. Quarter your 1.5 lbs of Roma tomatoes. Removing the core at the top is optional but results in a smoother texture.
  4. Load the processor. Add the tomatoes, 1 bunch of cilantro (stems included!), 2 tbsp lime juice, 1 tsp sea salt, 0.5 tsp cumin, and 0.25 tsp sugar.
  5. The strategic pulse. Process in one second intervals. Watch closely. You want to stop just before you think it's done, as the salt will continue to break things down.
  6. Check the texture. Open the lid and stir with a spoon. You should see distinct bits of tomato and green flecks of cilantro.
  7. The seasoning test. Taste a spoonful. It should be bright and slightly salty. Wait 1 minute before adding more salt, as it takes a moment to dissolve.
  8. Final adjustments. If it's too tart, add another pinch of sugar. If it's flat, add a splash more lime juice.
  9. Resting period. If you have time, let it sit for 10 minutes at room temperature. This allows the flavors to marry and the juices to settle.
  10. Final serve. Transfer to a serving bowl. If it looks a little too dry, don't worry — the tomatoes will release more juice as it sits on the table.