Howard Karten's Salsa

Howard Karten’s salsa is a homemade tomato dip that takes the standard salsa template and pulls it sideways into Mediterranean territory. There’s no jalapeño here, no cilantro, no lime juice. Instead, the punch comes from quartered black olives, red wine vinegar, ground cumin, oregano, and a teaspoon of fresh garlic. Think: somewhere between a Mexican pico de gallo and an Italian tomato bruschetta topping.

The technique is dead simple. Skin and seed four ripe tomatoes (a quick blanch in boiling water, then cold shock, slips the skins right off), chop the flesh moderately fine, and stir everything together in a saucepan or bowl. The salsa needs at least an hour in the fridge to let the flavors mingle and the onion lose its raw bite. Serve with warm pita, tortilla chips, grilled bread, or spooned over grilled fish or chicken.

Pro Tips

• Use the ripest tomatoes you can find. This salsa is 90% tomato by weight, so good fruit is the entire dish.
• Skin the tomatoes properly. Score an X in the bottom, dunk in boiling water for 30 seconds, shock in ice water, peel.
• Let it rest at least an hour, ideally two. The flavors are flat right after mixing and bloom dramatically as it sits.
• Bring to room temperature before serving. Cold dulls the herbs and the olive oil firms up.

Variations

• Add a tablespoon of chopped fresh basil and a squeeze of lemon for a brighter Italian lean.
• Stir in crumbled feta or chopped fresh mozzarella for a salad-style version.
• Swap black olives for chopped Kalamatas for a sharper, brinier hit.