This Acapulco salsa is one of the best! Filled with amazing flavor, this recipe will add something special to your Mexican dinner night.
In the mid-1970s, I discovered my favorite Mexican restaurant, which happened to be located on 6th and National in Milwaukee. It was called The Acapulco and was highly regarded. I went there for years, sometimes twice a week, and brought friends and family. They had the best chimichangas I’ve ever had and the most spectacular salsa ever.
I eventually moved away but always craved their chimis and salsa. A couple of years later, I had the good fortune to return to Milwaukee and made a beeline to the Acapulco at lunchtime. I enjoyed my favorite dishes and flagged down the owner. Her name was Donna, and she remembered me. I asked for the salsa recipe, and she graciously gave it to me.
I have been making it for years, and this recipe is the restaurant’s identical salsa. Unfortunately, the Acapulco burned down a few years later and was never rebuilt. At least I have this recipe which I’m sharing with you. The original is very hot, but you can modify it based on your desired heat.
An interesting factoid is that she told me the magic was in boiling the tomatoes and Jalapenos, and I had never heard that before. Recently I was reading about authentic salsas, maybe from Rick Bayless, and it was noted that boiling the tomatoes and peppers was the true time-tested method of making great salsa. Now you know the secret!
Acapulco Salsa
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- fill the stock pot with water. Enough to cover all the tomatoes. Heat to boil.
- Add the tomatoes and jalapenos.
- Boil until tomato skins start to split.
- remove and let cool. Then remove tomato skins and Jalapeno stems. Place in blender. Add the cilantro and salt to the blender.
- Blend until semi-smooth. You'll want some texture.
- Pour into mixing bowl with top and refrigerate.
- Serve with crisp tortilla chips.
Note: I usually use Roma tomatoes, but in this picture, I experimented with vine-riped tomatoes. The flavor was addictive, but it was a bit thinner than when Romas were used. I also modified it because the jalapenos at the store were horrible, so I picked one, plus a serrano, and added a habanero. The point is you can use the base recipe and modify it as you wish. At the restaurant, the salsa was so hot I’d eat two bowls because once I stopped, my mouth would be on fire. This is the best ever!
