Growing your own ingredients for fresh salsa: Garden Guy

(FOX 9) - Gardens are a great way to have freshly grown food all summer long, and one of the easiest dishes to make with homegrown ingredients is fresh salsa.

FOX 9 Garden Guy Dale K stopped by El Burrito Mercado in St. Paul to learn from the experts about the best ingredients for salsa. The establishment has 12 different kinds of salsa on the menu. 

The base of the salsa is often red (roma tomato) or green (tomatillos), and from there, there are many different kinds of chilies or peppers to go with the base, as well as onions and garlic.

For this salsa, El Burrito Mercado mixed the tomatoes and tomatillos together for the base. You can either boil them or roast them on the grill (charring them helps bring out the flavor). 

Then add chilies or peppers to your liking (use more if you like it spicy, or stick to just jalapeños if you want it milder), which have also been toasted. You can also add onion and garlic or other ingredients. 

Use a stone mortar and pestle to smash and mix the ingredients together for a nice, chunky salsa. You can also combine the ingredients in a blender for smoother salsa. 

If you are looking to plant tomatoes or tomatillos in your garden, the key is to plant them deep.