# 1st Place Salsa in the Texas State Fair



## Theoretical

So, one of the managers at my law firm urged me to enter the Salsa contest of the Tex-Mex competition at the Texas State Fair yesterday. My entry, which is a modified version of my dad's and my recipe, ended up winning 1st place, and will probably be in the state fair cookbook.

Here's the recipe:



> Hooker’s Chipotle Salsa
> 
> Ingredients:
> 
> • (1) 28 oz. can of fire roasted diced tomatoes (preferably Muir Glen Organic)
> • (7) cloves dry roasted garlic
> • (1/2) diced onion
> • (5) seeded canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
> • (1) cup of fresh cilantro leaves and stems (vary to taste)
> • Juice from 3/4 medium lime
> • Salt and Pepper to Taste
> 
> Directions
> 
> 1. Add tomatoes, onion, garlic, peppers cilantro, and juice from about 1/2 lime to a food processor and blend to desired consistency
> 2. Taste the salsa, and adjust flavors as needed by adding additional lime and cilantro.
> 3. Add salt and pepper to taste
> 4. Serve immediately or refrigerate promptly.
> 
> Dry roasted garlic
> 
> 1. Break off/cut off several garlic cloves from the bulb, but do not peel or otherwise remove the husks
> 2. Place garlic in an ungreased skilled at medium heat.
> 3. Occasionally flip garlic until husk is partially blacked all around – avoid overcooking
> 4. Peel the garlic and chop off the bottom of the clove
> 5. Dice the garlic, removing the bitter middle stem.


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## turmeric

Sounds delicious!


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## ANT

Very Cool!
I'm a salsa lover ... sounds great!


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## Pilgrim




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## Pilgrim

sirhicks said:


> Wow, Scott! Congratulations. That's really cool. So, you think you could just send me a batch, instead of having to mix it up myself?   Congrats again. That's really cool.



 Congrats!


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## NaphtaliPress

Congratulations Scott; sounds really good.


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## Richard King

that is AWESOME. In Texas that makes you royalty.


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## Gryphonette

Wowzers! Now _that_ is impressive!

Texas does love its salsa, so yours must be stellar indeed. Looking forward to trying it....thanks for the recipe.


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## Augusta

Wow!! And we get the recipe too. God bless you for that it sounds really good.


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## caddy

Ummmmm

This looks wonderful! Definately going to write this recipe down and give it a try! Thanks 



Theoretical said:


> So, one of the managers at my law firm urged me to enter the Salsa contest of the Tex-Mex competition at the Texas State Fair yesterday. My entry, which is a modified version of my dad's and my recipe, ended up winning 1st place, and will probably be in the state fair cookbook.
> 
> Here's the recipe:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Hooker’s Chipotle Salsa
> 
> Ingredients:
> 
> • (1) 28 oz. can of fire roasted diced tomatoes (preferably Muir Glen Organic)
> • (7) cloves dry roasted garlic
> • (1/2) diced onion
> • (5) seeded canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
> • (1) cup of fresh cilantro leaves and stems (vary to taste)
> • Juice from 3/4 medium lime
> • Salt and Pepper to Taste
> 
> Directions
> 
> 1. Add tomatoes, onion, garlic, peppers cilantro, and juice from about 1/2 lime to a food processor and blend to desired consistency
> 2. Taste the salsa, and adjust flavors as needed by adding additional lime and cilantro.
> 3. Add salt and pepper to taste
> 4. Serve immediately or refrigerate promptly.
> 
> Dry roasted garlic
> 
> 1. Break off/cut off several garlic cloves from the bulb, but do not peel or otherwise remove the husks
> 2. Place garlic in an ungreased skilled at medium heat.
> 3. Occasionally flip garlic until husk is partially blacked all around – avoid overcooking
> 4. Peel the garlic and chop off the bottom of the clove
> 5. Dice the garlic, removing the bitter middle stem.
Click to expand...


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## No Longer A Libertine

I call your bluff, you popped open a jar of Pace Picante and passed it off as your own and since the guy next to you brought his recipe from "New York City!" the judges favored you instantly.


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## tdowns

*Nice!!!!*

I love salsa!!!


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## Dena

lovely. 

where does one purchase fire roasted diced tomatoes (preferably Muir Glen Organic) and seeded canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce?

I've looked for things like these at Walmart and can't find them.


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## DMcFadden

Wow! I love that kind of food and am looking forward to trying it.


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## Theoretical

Dena,

Tomatoes are one of the few things I've found where the organic brands tend to be a notch above regular ones in terms of canning. For these, I'd recommend a Whole Foods Market or an upscale grocery store. However, just regular diced tomatoes are fine.

For the chipotles, that may be trickier. If there's any Hispanic areas in Jackson, shop at a grocery store in those areas for the chipotles. Alternatively, you might also have better success looking at the upscale stores. Wal-Marts tend to be very well-tuned for their respective local markets, so you may not have much success in that regard there.

However, in lieu of shopping in person, Amazon.com comes through yet again. Now that I've realized they sell these, I might actually still be able to retain a resemblance of my Mexican-influenced cooking even if I go somewhere far away from Texas. 

Muir Glen Organic Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes

La Costena Chipotles in Adobo Sauce


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## Rev. Todd Ruddell

Woo-Hoo! When do I get to try it out for myself? 

Great job Scott! I hope it's HOT!


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## Theoretical

This recipe isn't particularly hot, but if you want make it that way, just leave the seeds and veins in some of the chipotles.

Alternatively, substitute all of the chipotles for 7 seeded fresh jalapenos and 1 seeded habanero and 1/2 unseeded habanero (or more).


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## Beth Ellen Nagle

congratulations! looks like a great salsa. I would love to try it.


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## PuritanCovenanter

Would love to pour some on a batch of eggs.

congrats

Winning first place for salsa in that big of a State means something big. You need to patent the formula and sell it.


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## puritanpilgrim

I'm making it right now.


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## Theoretical

Let me know what you think of it.


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## etexas

Scott...you NEED to make a little trip to T-town and I will grill some flank steak...you do a batch of that salsa and we can do some fajitas!


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## puritanpilgrim

*great*

I thought it was great. I left the seeds in and it wasn't too hot.


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## VirginiaHuguenot

Richard King said:


> that is AWESOME. In Texas that makes you royalty.


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