There are a few things I never even think about making.

Like mayonnaise or marshmallows.

Same can be said for salsa.

Why make it when you can buy it — and it’s easier, cheaper and probably better-tasting?

I decided to try making my own salsa after a girlfriend wanted a spicy condiment to serve with some smoked pork she was planning to make. I had fully planned to just buy a fancy jar, but she insisted I make it from scratch. I mean, if she had to make her pork from scratch, I should suffer, too.

Fair enough.

Here’s the thing: I had no idea how to make salsa — just a vague notion it would require tomatoes, peppers and maybe lime juice.

So I searched online, looked through some cookbooks, and came up with a simple — OK, not as simple as just buying a jar of the stuff — recipe that turned out surprisingly good.

I mean, I might not ever buy store-made salsa again!

Here’s what I did:

Here are the players. Ignore the small can of salsa — I used that to prop up the small can of chipolte peppers in adobo sauce.

First, I cheated. I used a can of petite tomatoes, already diced and paired with jalapeño peppers. This cuts down your prep down greatly. I dumped the entire can — with the juices — into a small food processor.

Next, I added about 1/4 cup of diced onions. You can add more if you want.

I like my salsa chunky and fresh, so I added a few grape tomatoes into the mix. You can use cherry or Roma tomatoes, too.

Then I diced up about a quarter of a full-size red bell pepper. In hindsight, I would have used yellow instead for both color and sweetness. Still, this worked. I added this (and the tomatoes above) into the food processor.

Salsa needs kick, so I added two more jalapeño peppers. I removed the seeds and ribs — I wanted to cut down on the heat — but you can keep them, if you prefer a super spicy salsa.

I sliced the peppers really thin and added them to the food processor.

Here’s the secret ingredient: chipolte peppers soaked in Filipino adobo sauce. This gives the salsa that vinegar-y kick — and some heat. If you can’t find it, don’t worry. The salsa doesn’t need it.

I just added a heaping tablespoon of this stuff to the mixture. Not much, but the heat and the smoky flavor go a long way.

Next, I added a teaspoon of sugar and half a teaspoon of salt. That’s it.

I added the juice of a whole lime. It was a small lime, so if you’re using a larger one, you might want to cut down on the juice.

Finally, the cilantro. I realize this is controversial as a lot of folks — including a bunch of my friends — hate this herb. That’s fine, you don’t need it. But the Chinese parsley gives the salsa such a nice, fresh flavor.

Pulse the mixture in your food processor about eight to 10 times, that’s it. You’re just trying to mix everything evenly and get a nice consistency. Don’t over-blend it unless you like a smooth salsa. (I don’t!)

And that’s it! Your salsa is done! It might be more expensive than store-bought salsa, but trust me, this one has more body, more flavor and more depth than anything you’d find in a jar.

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Here’s the recipe:

Cat’s Salsa

Ingredients:

1 16-ounce can of petite-cut tomatoes with jalapeños
1 heaping T. of chipolte peppers in adobo sauce
1/4 cup onions, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 red or yellow bell pepper, diced
2 jalapeño peppers, sliced thinly
Handful of cherry or grape tomatoes, diced
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 to 1/2 cup cilantro, if desired
1/2 tsp. cumin, if desired

Directions:

Put everything in a food processor and pulse eight to 10 times. Store in refrigerator until serve.