This is a salsa from a local restaurant in Bountiful, Utah – called Lorena’s. We’re moving away and I’ve never been able to make anything remotely close and I’m addicted to this stuff. At room temperature it’s a bit more runny, these photos we just took it out of the fridge. Also it’s a bit lighter in color in person. Any guesses as to where I can even start would be helpful! Thank you!
by rivetingrasberry
22 Comments
Probably canned tomatoes, looks like some roasted peppers, maybe a roasted tomato or 2 as well. not seeing any onion or cilantro. hard to tell on spices without tasting but id assume some type of chili powder(s), onion powder, garlic powder, salt, possible cumin.
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i always find salsas really develop in flavor and taste after a day or so in the fridge as well.
This looks an awful lot like my salsa which is
* a few rehydrated guajillo peppers
* 4 Roma tomatoes
* 2-4 Serranos depending on your heat preference
* 1/4 onion
* 2-4 cloves of garlic
* splash of white vinegar
* salt to taste
I roast the tomato and serranos under the broiler until they’re nice and toasty (sometimes I also char the guajillos before rehydrating) and then blend everything up.
It just looks mostly like salsa rioja. The way I learned to make it is like 6 tomatoes, 1/2 onion, a jalapeno or more peppers depending on taste, garlic if you want, a bunch of cilantro, and like the juice of two limes and blend. Add salt to taste.
IDK why it’s that dark red though, so it could be like dried chilis or something like with an enchilada sauce.
You tried asking them?
Is it a salty flavor? A smokey flavor? A sweet flavor? Tangy flavor? A rich umami flavor?
Is it spicy? If so, is it 0-10 ? IS the spice really sharp hit you in the face spice or a slow burn? Or even more subtle than that?
I love Lorena’s! I asked the google “salsa with Worcestershire sauce” and it brought up something fancy called salsa ranchera.
1 pound tomatoes
2-3 jalapeno peppers (or use serrano peppers for a hotter version)
½ large white or yellow onion
4 garlic cloves
3 tablespoons cilantro
Salt to taste
Optional Additional Ingredients: Juice from 1 small lime, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, ½ teaspoon cumin, cracked black pepper.
https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/recipes/salsa-ranchera/
1 pound of tomatillos, 20 chile de arbol, 3 pasilla, and 3 chile puya. Blended up with garlic and maybe onion.
Have you considered asking? I’ve had great luck with chefs sharing with me after I’m move away from places. They’ve helped me so much when I’ve gotta to missing places I used to live or have visited frequently.
That shit looks good!
I’ll need you to snort roughly 50ml of it and describe the pain in excruciating detail before I could possibly guess what’s in there.
Why not ask the restaurant?
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If you’re moving you should just ask the manager for the prep spec see if they’ll hook you up
I see signs of possible garlic powder/salt and cumin, maybe black pepper and oregano. That might be crushed red pepper, but it’s ground down pretty well, so it could also be chili de arbol, as some have said, or maybe both. Definitely more of a paste consistency than a puree. They might put a little olive oil in there to help bind it together.
It has something red, something hot, something wet…oh hell, now I’m turned on. Sorry, I can’t help you anymore!
You might be able to ask the kitchen at that restaurant, some owners are pretty chill and don’t really care if people know their recipes
I swear that area of Utah has the best food! I moved from Layton and have a whole list of foods from Ogden to Salt Lake that my husband and I miss!
Thanks for posting the location! I’m definitely going there to try it out! When you find a good dupe, would love to hear the final recipe.
Have you thought about asking the restaurant? When I lived in AZ I had a favorite sandwich at a shop and they had this amazing spread. I asked what was in it, they were a little hesitant at first but when I explained how much I loved it and how I am moving away permanently they gave me the recipe.
Call Lorena
r/salsaforensics
I’m up in Ogden so I’m definitely going to swing by and try it. Is it the standard salsa they serve or is one you specifically have to ask for?