Listen. I have the good stuff. I just don't know how to cook it, so you better help me out. I gotta have it. I feel like there are bugs, man, everywhere, crawling all over me. I'm desperate, baby.
So help me out. Will you? Just this once. I promise, I'll never ask again.
I have tomatoes, cilantro, jalapenos, lime juice, and onions.
I've waited all summer while I gradually collected all of my ingredients.
I'm all ready to make salsa, but I don't know how to prepare the goods. Or store it, for that matter.
Any ideas, before I start experimenting?
Chop it up, put it in a blender and refrigerate in a glass jar. There are hundreds of recipes, but just experiment. There is NOTHING better than fresh salsa. Try some fruity salsa, too (mango, pineapple, raspberries, etc.)
ReplyDeleteHey, TK, thanks. But telling me to experiment is like telling a little black puppy to run wild through the house.
ReplyDeleteMore questions:
Do I cook it?
How long will it keep refrigerated in a jar?
Will it freeze well?
Does pumping your stomach hurt?
Hey TK, I also thank you for the suggestions! I was telling Scottius that it would also be nice to freeze some of it though. That's why we want to know about cooking the tomatoes - should we cook them before freezing the salsa? Thanks again! :)
ReplyDeleteHey Lucy! I have no idea. I just have experience with fresh. I know you can refrigerate the fresh salsa, too. Beyond that, I'll have to research. I should find some tomatoes this year. Rob killed his garden, "accidentally", with some stray Round-up.
ReplyDeleteHey, TK! You put "accidentally" in quotes. Sounds conspiratorial to me, like it may not have been an accident. But who would hate tomatoes?
ReplyDeleteOk, here's what we do - but it's a big process.
ReplyDeleteTo peel the tomatoes easily: Put a single layer of tomatoes in the bottom of the sink, cover with boiling water. Let sit for 1 minute. Drain water, the peeling usually falls right off.
Chop tomatoes.
Chop green onions.
Finely chop peppers.
Finely chop cilantro.
(other than the peppers, we've found food processors/blenders slaughter the stuff too bad, so we use the old fashioned knife method)
Mix to taste (yeah, sorry it's not too specific) You can add lime juice as well, as that will help increase the acidity, which is good for canning tomatoes. I have a heretic cousin who adds garlic, but that's another animal entirely.
My brother likes thicker salsa - so he drains the liquid off and then adds store-bought tomato sauce to the mix. I don't like to dilute the taste of the garden grown tomatoes, so I don't. If it has too much liquid, I do drain it. (We then turn around and can the drained liquid and use as a flavored tomato juice)
Then, we can them just as we can tomatoes. Hot water bath method, I think it's called. Fill sterilized quart or pint jars, leaving 1/2" headroom. Cover with sterilized seals and rings. Ease jars into a canner (big pot) with boiling water. Bring back to a boil, cook for ....xx....minutes. (I'll have to get back to you on that...) There are more steps - we usually google to remind ourselves of the directions.
We do a huge batch every couple of years - I think this is an on year, so we'll be at it pretty soon.
Have fun!
Hey,Designated Knitter!
ReplyDeleteThese instructions are FANTASTIC! Just what a lazy guy like me needs. Thanks a lot.
I have a great & easy recipe if you want it, but the main thing is to wear gloves when chopping jalapenos. (See blog www.daisiesnchocolote.blogspot.com) It is yummy, though!
ReplyDeleteHey Rebecca!
ReplyDeleteYou're back! And you're right, I learned this the hard way about this time last year. See archives.
I've been meaning to get back to you with this recipe from my favorite cooking site, Cooking for Engineers: http://www.cookingforengineers.com/article.php?id=53
ReplyDeleteHey TK! We need to make some more salsa this weekend! This recipe sounds yummy! We used the ingredients they used, but we also used a little cumin too to give it that "Mexican" aroma and flavor! I like more cumin than Scottius who likes his salsa hotter than me. We have to have a "his" and "hers" salsa! :) Thanks again!!
ReplyDeleteHey TK! This is a great site! We need to make some more salsa this weekend. Only we have to have a "his" and "hers" salsa -Scottius likes his spicier than me! My eyes just burn cutting up those chili peppers! :)
ReplyDelete