Stolen Recipes are The Bees Knees

 

By Merritt McHaffie

 

Merritt McHaffie is Marketing Director at the South Carolina State Museum, where a brand new planetarium and observatory will be unveiled in Summer 2014. Prior to working with the State Museum, McHaffie was Executive Director of the Five Points Association, managing legendary events such as St. Pat’s in Five Points for 8 years. She is an avid runner and outdoorswoman who loves being a South Carolinian.

 

Back when I was a wee lass, well, in college here at USC, I found myself so stressed out as a college student (heavy sarcasm) that I decided to drop out of school, quit my job at Delaney’s in Five Points and move to Paris. Brilliant. I called both of my parents from the airport to break the news. At that point in my life, they weren’t surprised. I was voted Most Likely to Be On the Cover of The National Enquirer by my high school, after all.

So after a brief stint living alone in Paris and a few weeks in Maine, I had to curl my tail and come back to Columbia. Mainly because funds ran out and my credit card bill ran up. I lived in an apartment above Speakeasy at the time, so I wanted to get another job in Five Points for the walk-a-bility. Plus, while I was in Paris, my father came and took my car away (who could blame him?) and it was a few months until I convinced him to bring it back to me, so a job to which I could walk was key.

Pitbull Pam (as we lovingly called her) and Suzi (the owner) from El Burrito were kind enough to give me a job and although I really didn’t fit in there (I wasn’t hipster enough), I really enjoyed working there. I think I only lasted about 5 months and decided to go back to Delaney’s when a manager told me, “You don’t fit in here and will never be more than a burrito maker.” (This was a girl who slit her ex-girlfriend’s tires one night after work…)

What I took with me, however, I will always treasure. Other than the scars on my palm from stabbing avocado pits and missing, I memorized the mild salsa recipe and have been making it for the better part of 10 years.

So thanks Suzi….for giving me a job when I was down on my luck and for teaching me this great recipe. It’s quick, easy and always a crowd pleaser. I have made variations of it over the years, but none are as good as the original.

 

Ingredients:

10 roma tomatoes

1 medium white onion

3 limes

1 tsp minced garlic (prepared)

Bunch of cilantro

Salt and cumin to taste

*serves 4-5 people (obviously the recipe we made in the restaurant was bigger!)

 

Preparation:

• In a food processor, PULSE (do not blend – you want this to be chunky) the tomatoes (cut in thirds) with small chunks of the white onion. This should be done in about 4-5 batches. Pour each batch into a large bowl.
• Don’t rinse the food processor bowl. Add the cilantro – torn into manageable pieces – with as few stems as possible and add the garlic. Blend these two ingredients on high until they are purified. Dump into the bowl with the tomato and onion mixture. Stir to combine.
• Squeeze the 3 limes into the mixture; add salt and cumin to taste.

How easy peasy is that?! 

P.S. The secret ingredient in their hot sauce on the counter is chocolate.