Salsa

Are you looking for a delicious salsa recipe?

A week ago, I was! But I found a recipe on Pinterest and have adapted it to what I thought I'd like my salsa to taste like... and here we go! I just thought I'd share it.

 

I like a very flavorful salsa that is not very spicy. Cilantro and garlic... mmmm. Lots of that!

Luke likes his salsa with a lot of heat. So... I've made 2 recipes, one mild and one hot(er).

 

Homegrown Heirloom Tomatoes!

Quartered tomatoes, ready to process

Draining juices off

Chopped and in the bowl

 

Mmm! All the good stuff, just ready to mix!

Into the pot it all goes

 

Simmering, simmering...

 

Yay! Now to cool down...

Halli gives me a hand with lunch prep...

 

 

 

Home Canned Salsa

(Mild or Hot)

 

15-20 pounds of tomatoes

5-8 bell peppers, seeded

5-10 jalapeno peppers, seeded*

8-10 onions

2-3 bulbs of garlic

3 bunches of fresh cilantro

2-3 Tbsp. salt

1/4 cup lime juice

 

Quarter tomatoes, (I did NOT peel mine) onions, & bell peppers. Halve the jalapenos and peel the garlic cloves. Wash cilantro. Now, it's food processor time! I put the tomatoes thru the processor for about 10-15 pulses, not too large but not pureed. Pour into colander placed over large stock pot. Drain out juice and keep that burner on low so juice is simmering the entire time. Put chopped tomatoes into large (Tupperware Thatsa Bowl size) bowl. Continue until all tomatoes have been processed. Now the peppers, process until small but not pureed... they do not need drained. Just strait into the big bowl. Now the garlic and onions, also chopped fine... no draining for these, either. Into the bowl. Now cilantro. Process until fine and into the bowl.

 

Your tomato juice should have been simmering all along and has decreased in amount, maybe 1/4 less. This is good! Add 1 1/2 Tbsp of the salt to the juice and give it a good stir.

Mix the tomatoes, onions, garlic and peppers into the juice in the stock pot. Bring entire mixture to a boil and boil for 5-10 minutes to blend flavors. Add more salt if necessary (I ended up using 2 1/2 Tbsp) and also add the lime juice. Stir to combine.

 

Now on to the canning.

 

Fill your (washed/sterilized) jars up to about 1/4 inch from the top. Wipe off rims. Boil the lids for about a minute and place on jars, screw rings on tight.

 

Process jars in boiling water bath canner for 30 minutes (40 at higher altitudes).

Remove jars from canner and set on towels to cool.

 

Once cool, rinse jars, remove rings and label!

 

*For the mild salsa I used 5 jalapenos and for the hotter, I used 10 jalapenos and some of the seeds.

 

Ta-da!

 

Delicious homemade salsa! :)