Roasted Tomato Salsa - Cinco de Mayo

Roasted Tomato Salsa - Cinco de Mayo

1 pound plum (roma) tomatoes
1 medium red bell pepper
1 jalapeño pepper (two if you want it hot)
2 medium garlic cloves, unpeeled
2 medium shallots, chopped
1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, chopped - (or use dry after they sit in water)
1/2 cup vegetable juice (such as V-8)
1 lime juiced and the zest taken off
1/2 teaspoon ground oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Salt - check salt at the end

Heat broiler rack 8 inches from flame or coil. Place tomatoes, bell pepper, jalapeño and garlic on broiler pan. Broil until evenly blackened, turning often, taking care not to burn, and removing each as it gets done. Or you can use a cast iron skillet and brown the above on the stove top. Better yet, BBQ the mix!

Peel bell pepper, jalapeño and garlic. Seed and trim ribs from bell pepper and jalapeño. Peel only some black away from tomatoes. Add broiled tomatoes, bell and jalapeño peppers and garlic, shallots and chipotle pepper to food processor. Coarsely chop by pulsing briefly. Place tomatoes and vegetables in large bowl. Swish out processor container with vegetable juice; add juice to bowl. Add lime juice, oregano and cumin to mixture. Blend well. Cover. Taste for salt. Chill at least 4 hours.