Posted by The Herald Bulletin, IN on September 24, 2009 at 18:07:42:
Pierce goes from chainsaws to salsa
Sculptor takes a break from shaping trees to whip up award-winning fare
By Rodney Richey, Herald Bulletin Feature Writer
Pierce explained that the seasoning could be varied to make the salsa hotter or milder. “I tried to make it kind of middle of the road. I didn’t want to burn the judge’s tongue off.”
This wasn’t the first food contest entry for Pierce or his wife, Lynn.
“Two years ago, I won second place at the state fair in the Great Spam Recipe Championship,” Pierce said. “I’ve also won some honorable mentions and second places and third places, stuff like that, for baked goods.
“My wife’s the baked goods guru, I guess. She’s got blue ribbons the last two years for pies, quick breads, yeast rolls.”
Pierce, who sees chain saw sculpting as his occupation, says he has no qualms about giving away the recipe, which is now the property of Red Gold, which sponsored the contest, as well as this year’s state fair.
“Doesn’t bother me at all,” said the sculptor in his loose Hoosier baritone. “Anybody likes it can make up a batch and go for it, make it as hot or as mild as they want to.”
Meanwhile, Pierce, who said his interest in cooking began while helping his mother when he was younger, busies himself plotting his next food contest entry.
“Well, I’m going to look into some different cooking contests for the winter, and I think I’ll try to get into the Pillsbury Bake-Off, things like that,” he said. “And I’ll be back at the state fair next year, when they decide what the next ‘Year of’ is going to be.”
When the Elwood chili cook-off in October is mentioned, Pierce looks off and mulls the possibility.
“That’s a Red Gold thing, too, so they might not let me in, since they already gave me $500. And a hat.”
Dan Pierce’s Award-Winning Smoky Sweet Salsa
Ingredients:
28-ounce can of Red Gold whole tomatoes
1/4 cup serrano chilies, finely chopped
1/2 cup cilantro, finely chopped
5 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 cup onion, finely chopped
3 teaspoons chili powder
1 cup fresh corn, boiled and cut from cob
1/2 cup bell pepper, finely chopped
2 teaspoons liquid smoke
1/2 cup tomatillo, finely chopped
1 cup gala apples, finely chopped
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons brown sugar
Juice from one lime
Drain and rough-chop tomatoes. Assemble all ingredients, stir and let sit in refrigerator for at least 2 hours. Serve with chips.
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