For more than fifty years, Min’s two family branches, the Merrells and the Almys, have been eating at the Cortez Cafe in Carlsbad, New Mexico. The food is straightforward Tex-Mex and always finishes with a round of sopapillas and honey. Back in the ’70s, the family thought nothing odd about beginning meals with bowls of fiery green salsa scooped up with saltine crackers. The Cortez has since switched to tortilla chips and you may prefer them as well, but the Merrell-Almy clan retains its hot spot for salsa and crackers. Pining away in Nashville for that distinct Cortez flavor, Min thinks she’s figured it out—it’s mostly fresh jalapeños. Min’s cousin Eric, knighted Sir Cortez by the clan, now brings his version of Min’s Cortez Salsa recipe to every family dinner—with sleeves of only the freshest saltines, of course.
Recipe information
Yield
makes about 3 cups
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
PLACE all the ingredients except the crackers in the bowl of a food processor.
Step 2
PULSE until the texture is an even, slightly chunky puree. Serve with saltines or chips.
Roasted Jalapeño Salsa
Step 3
HEAT the broiler. Place the jalapeño peppers on a baking sheet and broil about 4 inches from the heat source until well blistered with patches of charred skin, turning occasionally, about 10 minutes. Proceed with the recipe above, adding a handful of fresh cilantro (large stems removed) to the ingredients.
