Sunday, February 05, 2017

Atlanta is Up, as I enjoy a Super Bowl of Salsa

By Douglas V. Gibbs
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I am a huge football fan, so of course I am watching the Big Game.  Atlanta has just scored a second third touchdown (with no points on the board for New England), but I am sill hesitant to bet against Tom Brady. . . even with him down by three touchdowns.  Though I can't stand the Patriots, and would love to see Matt Ryan and the young Atlanta Falcons win this thing, one knows that Tom Brady is never out of the game.

As a Raiders fan, I am supposed to despise the Patriots, and, I do.  But that is not the only reason I am sort of rooting for Matt Ryan and the Falcons.  Ryan is due, and it is always exciting to see a young team dethrone a power house.  Also, the story about Atlanta using a training session with Navy SEALs to build camaraderie and team cohesion caught my attention, too.  As a Navy veteran, I've got to appreciate that part of the story.

I've been to the State of Georgia once.  I flew into Atlanta and attended a friend's wedding in Roswell way back in 1994.  It was the year the Arkansas Razorbacks basketball team beat Duke for the national championship, and I watched it in Georgia, in a roomful of Duke fans, and one Tarheel.  I am a huge Hogs fan in football, baseball, cross-country and basketball, and that was an exciting night.

Atlanta is a neat town (not that I am taking anything away from Massachusetts, of which I visited in 2002).  They are due.  It's time for the trophies of football to exchange hands.  It's time to find a way to defeat Brady and the Patriots. . . though deep down I am not fully convinced that can be accomplished, just yet, despite Atlanta's commanding lead.

I am definitely enjoying the game.  I am home alone.  My wife is at work, due to get home about the time the game should be ending.  And I made a meal that only a guy could come up with. . . 

Jambalaya with spicy sausage in it, a chicken breast cooked in rosemary and basil, mussels boiled in garlic, butter, and various other spices, and a bunch of SoBe Citrus Energy drinks . . . oh, and let's not forget the chips and Super Bowl of Salsa.

Enjoy the game, and enjoy a Super Bowl of Salsa. . . (recipe below)

Doug's Salsa Recipe

Ingredients:

1 can of RO-TEL ORIGINAL Diced Tomatoes and Green Chiles
2-3 Medium Tomatoes (DO NOT REFRIGERATE TOMATOES - refrigeration causes tomatoes to lose their taste a little)
1 large lime
1 Clove of Garlic
3-6 Green Onions
Cilantro (recommended)
1/2 of a Carrot (optional)
jalepeno pepper (optional)
Salt

Double the ingredients for a larger batch.

Pour can of diced tomatoes and green chiles into bowl.

Cut fresh tomatoes by hand into small pieces, the smaller the better. Do not use food processor or similar device because it makes the salsa taste watered down. I often use Roma Tomatoes - if you do, add one more tomato because they are smaller.

Add Tomatoes to bowl.

Cut lime in half and squeeze juice into bowl. I often have another lime or two available in case I get a lime that does not produce much juice. If it has seeds, hold the cut side up when you squeeze so that seeds don't fall into mixture. Some folks like less lime and only use a half a lime for this size of a batch.

Cut clove of garlic into small pieces and then crush with a fork until it is like a paste. Then add garlic paste that you made into mixture.

Cut up onions into small pieces. Once again, like the tomatoes, it is better to cut by hand with a knife. Appliances tend to tear onions rather than cut them and some of the onion flavor becomes lost. I put 3-6 for number of onions to use because it is a matter of taste. I use 6 onions, my dad uses 3.

Add onions to mixture.

Chop cilantro in similar fashion. Cilantro gives the salsa that true Mexican taste, and I like cilantro a lot. I tend to only cut up and use the leaves because the stems tend to give the salsa a bitter flavor. Remember, cilantro can be strong, so use discretion. I use about four stems worth (remember, use only the leaves for best results).

If you decide to add the carrot, chop pieces as small as you can get them. Amount varies based on your taste.

Jalepeno can overtake the flavor if not used sparingly, but if you want a little more heat in your salsa, feel free to use the pepper. Note, keep seeds for more heat, eliminate them for less. If I use jalepeno I tend to use a quarter chile per can of ROTEL. I don't use them often, however, because the flavor of the salsa is so good without them.

Salt to taste.

Added notes: pick your ingredients carefully. The quality of the tomatoes play a large part in the flavor of the salsa. And once again, do not refrigerate the tomatoes. They lose flavor when refrigerated.

Okay, now stir it, let it sit twenty minutes, stirring every 5 minutes - then enjoy!

In my opinion, tortilla chips made from white corn are better, but once again, that is up to your discretion.

-- Political Pistachio Conservative News and Commentary

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