Essential Chopped Tomato-Serrano Salsa

Recipe Description

* Makes 2 cups

12 ounces (2 medium-small, round or 4 - 5 plum) ripe tomatoes
fresh Serrano chiles to taste (roughly 3 - 5 / ½ - 1 ounce total, or even more if you like it really picante), stemmed
12 or so large sprigs of cilantro
1 large garlic clove, peeled and very finely chopped (optional)
1 small (4-ounce) white onion
1½ teaspoons fresh lime juice
about ¾ teaspoon salt

Core the tomatoes, then cut in half width-wise and squeeze out the seeds if you wish (it will give the sauce a less rustic appearance).
Finely dice the flesh by slicing it into roughly ¼-inch thick pieces, then cutting each slice into small dice.
Scoop into a bowl.
Cut the chiles in half length-wise (wear rubber gloves if your hands are sensitive to the piquancy of the chiles) and scrape out the seeds if you wish (not only will this make the salsa seem less rustic, but it will make it a little less picante).
Chop the chiles as finely as you can, then add them to the tomatoes.
Carefully bunch up the cilantro sprigs, and, with a sharp knife, slice them 1/16-inch thick, stems and all, working your way down from the leafy end until you run out of leaves.
Scoop the chopped cilantro into the tomato mixture along with the optional garlic.
Next, finely dice the onion with a knife (a food processor will turn it into a sour mess), scoop it into a small strainer, then rinse it under cold water.
Shake to remove the excess water and add to the tomato mixture.
Taste and season with lime juice and salt, and let stand if you have a little time, for the flavors to meld before using or scooping into a salsa dish and serving.