SALSA MEXICANA CRUDA (Mexican uncooked red tomato sauce, about 2 cups)

2 pounds firm, ripe tomatoes, cut into ¼ inch dice (do not skin the tomatoes)

1 large, sweet onion, finely diced

3 serrano chiles, finely chopped (do not seed the chiles)

salt and pepper to taste

1 small bunch parsley, leaves and tender stems chopped

1 small bunch cilantro, leaves and tender stems chopped

1. Mix the tomatoes, onion and chilies together in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Add the parsley and cilantro and mix well. If mixture needs to be looser, add 1/3 cup water.

(Although salsa can be made up to three hours ahead of time, it is best made almost at the last minute.  After a couple of hours it loses its crunch and its fresh color.)

adapted from Diana Kennedy, The Cuisines of Mexico, and David Tanis, A Platter of Figs