Moe's Southwest Grill has named the top three Facebook fans whose original salsa recipes have raised the bar this summer, during its first "Raise the Salsa Bar Contest." Tatia Williams of Ladson, South Carolina; Kate Elliott of Muncie, Indiana; and Cheryl Gallowitz of Gainsville, Florida have the chance to have their salsa recipe featured in more than 450 Moe's restaurants nationwide and take home a $1,000 cash prize. Moe's executives will determine the grand prize winner at the end of this month with semifinalists judged on ingredient selection, originality, and ease of preparation.
"We are really proud of the hundreds of recipe submissions and voting support we received from Moe's fans nationwide," says Executive Chef Dan Barash, Moe's Southwest Grill. "The Moe's community submitted some really creative salsas and selected three delicious and spicy recipes as finalists — it will be tough to determine the winner."
William's Fires of Hell recipe is a hot concoction featuring garlic, habanera chilies, and jalapeños. Alternatively, Gallowitz and Elliot have both prepared salsas that would "satisfy even Goldilocks," as Gallowitz puts it. "Not too hot, not too mild, but just right," the recipes both feature pickled jalapeños and finely chopped onions.
The Moe's Southwest Grill salsa bar rotates salsas seasonally, providing salsas made with fresh, natural ingredients. In 2011, Moe's launched a new Food Mission to bring the highest quality ingredients to every guest by offering vegetarian and low-calorie ingredients, a variety of ingredients without rBGH, steroids, added preservatives, or MSG, and by continuing to offer ingredients prepared fresh with no microwaves.
