How Do You Chop Your Peppers?

[Helltaco]

I like to make fresh salsa, no cooking.  I've got the peppers and tomatoes but it's taking too much time for me to chop with a knife.  My technique is lacking.  How do you do it?   Knife tricks?  Food processor? Chop-a-matic?  Chipper-shredder?  Slicer/dicer?  Cask n cleaver?  Mortar and pestle??
 What are some of the tricks of the trade?

 

[Scovie]

I use a small food processor and do decent size batches at a time. It makes a paste which will mix thoroughly into your salsa. I put about 1-1/2 TBS in a "designated" ice cube tray, then freeze. a great way to preserve / use chiles.

And hear me now, believe me later... wear eye protection. gloves don't hurt either.

 

[geeme]

How much are you making that a knife isn't doing the trick for you? Fresh salsa doesn't last forever, so I only make small batches - just what I want to eat within the next couple of days. My approach depends on the desired consistency, and ranges from knife to food processor to blender. Sometimes a combo.

 

[Helltaco]

How much are you making that a knife isn't doing the trick for you? Fresh salsa doesn't last forever, ...

 
Well.. my house ain't as kosh as some.  We have a three minute rule.  I use lime and vinegar and perhaps it ain't really fresh salsa, it lasts for weeks in the refrigerator.

 

[The Hot Pepper]

Mezzaluna ALL THE WAY...  a well made forged steel one with a good heft. Pile peppers and other ingredients on a wood cutting board (onion, cilantro, etc.), and rock the mezzaluna, while changing the angle... awesome salsa. Not square dices, you can go from a rough chop to very fine pieces, and the blade's action releases aromatics. Not like a food processor, it's more rustic, and you will taste the difference, believe it or not. A food processor will chop it fast and clean, this has a crush-then-cut action, pinching the edges right before the cut, kinda like crushing basil or mint in your hand. Oils and aromatics are released that aren't with a clean cut.
 
However, dice the tomatoes with a knife. This is for the firm ingredients and herbs only, from my experience.
This...

 
becomes this...

 
but I like to chop it all together. All the flavors mingle and then you just brush it into a bowl.
 
Here's a quality one (shown above):
http://www.slowfoodandhandforgedtools.com.au/order/order.php
 
Ebay always has cool vintage ones!
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_trksid=p2050601.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.Xvintage+mezzaluna&_nkw=vintage+mezzaluna&_sacat=0&_from=R40

 

[Scovie]

I want one.

 

[Phil]

immersion blender works good

 

[The Hot Pepper]

Mortar and pestle??

 
These are great too for crushing and turning ingredients into paste etc. but certainly won't speed anything up. 
 
However, good for your arsenal. Everything by hand is better.
 
Blender works for pureed salsas, except NOT the tomatoes! They froth up in the blender. Excellent for a smooth pepper salsa.

 

[Phil]

Try roasting the veggies on the grill and using a tater masher

 

[pepperdan]

There are choppers, slicers and pivoters with knives, chopping is unnecessary, pivoting works for most aplications, with practice you can get very efficient

 

[RocketMan]

I got one of these for my birthday one year after a friend took a trip to Alaska. it's called a Ulu and works great for chopping. This one isn't mine, in storage, but mine is similar to it. Same principle as your Mezzaluna boss.