Roma Tomatoes a Basic Ingredient in Mexican Cooking

One of the most basic ingredients in the Mexican kitchen besides chiles is the Roma tomato or plum tomato. In Spanish they are called jitomate saladette.

Roma Tomatoes - Jitomate Saladette

Roma tomatoes are meatier and contain less water than slicing tomatoes and are best used in salsas and as a soup base to thicken and enrich flavors. They are also good for guacamole or pico de gallo because they hold their shape well when diced. Romas are my second choice when preparing salads.

Other common Mexican dishes that use Roma Tomatoes are salsa roja, Sopa Azteca, huevos a la Mexicana, table salsa or salsa de mesa.

Slicing tomatoes like the beefsteak are much less commonly used in Mexico and usually cost quite a bit more. They are called jitomate bola or “ball tomatoes.” You can always find them in the grocery store or market but nobody ever seems to use them in their cooking.

How to Choose Roma Your Tomatoes
Look are for Romas that have a nice red color are heavy for their size and firm to the touch but not hard which indicates that they are unripe. They lack flavor and taste woody when they are not ripe. Avoid any that have overly soft spots or black spots. This means that they are overripe and on their way to becoming rotten. If you get some that haven’t fully ripened leave them on the kitchen counter for a day or two until they have softened and reached ripeness. Don’t put them in the refrigerator they will ripen more slowly and lose flavor.

To Peel or Not to Peel
I never peel tomatoes when I cook even if a recipe calls for peeling. It’s one of those small kitchen tasks that I can’t stand to do. I prefer to live with a few stray bits of tomato skin. If you are going to make a smooth blended salsa just force the salsa through a strainer before serving and you will be able to remove almost all of the noticeable pieces of skin. I also never remove the seeds. It’s really a matter of preference.

Related Ingredients

Tomatillos – Tomate Verde

Making Pico de Gallo Salsa

Pico de gallo is a simple, quick, uncooked salsa (salsa fresca) made with tomatoes, onions, cilantro, chiles, and lime. The taste is fresh and bright with a good bite from the chiles. Eating pico de gallo is a great way to get a dose of your daily veggies. In minutes you can prepare a batch. It’s a favorite at parties and it goes really well with a cold beer on a hot day.

Freshly Made Pico de Gallo Salsa

Ingredients:

• 10 Roma tomatoes – seeded and diced
• 1 large white onion – diced
• 1/2 cup of cilantro finely chopped
• 2 Serrano chiles seeded and finely diced -Jalapenos work too – Add more if you want more heat in your salsa. Use jalapenos if Serrano chiles or unavailable.
• Juice of one Mexican lime
• Salt to taste

The recipe makes a party sized batch of salsa.

When you have diced all of the ingredients add them to a large bowl and add the lime juice and salt. Mix thoroughly with a spoon and and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to marry. This salsa should be eaten fresh.

Enjoy your pico de gallo!

How to Make Mexican Red Tomato Salsa

This is my favorite salsa to serve with chicken tostadas. The oregano flavor really stands out and pairs well with mild flavor of the chicken.

Salsa Ingredients:

• 8 Roma tomatoes or 5 large tomatoes
• 1 medium onion quartered
• 5 chiles de arbol
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 3 teaspoons Mexican oregano
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt

Make the Salsa:

1. In a large frying pan, char the the tomatoes, onion, and garlic. Be sure that the tomatoes blacken on the outside which will add extra flavor to the salsa.

2. After the vegetables are charred, put all of the ingredients except the olive oil in the blender and blend for about one minute – until everything is well blended but not pureed. You want the salsa to have some texture when it’s finished.

3. In the same pan that you charred the vegetables add the 2 tablespoons of olive oil. In batches, fry the salsa in the olive oil over medium heat. Frying the salsa is an important step and brings out loads of flavor. Traditionally, you fry the salsa in lard, but I prefer olive oil.

4. Turn the heat to low and simmer the salsa for five minutes which cooks the salsa through, thickens it, and brings all of the flavors together.

5. Remove the salsa from the heat and allow to cool to room temperature before serving. The salsa will keep in the refrigerator for 3 days.

Makes 3 1/2 cups of Salsa

More Mexican Salsa Recipes to Try:

Green Enchilada Sauce

Red Enchilada Sauce

Tomatilla Salsa