What do you do with a 5 gallon bucket of garden fresh tomatoes you ask?  Salsa, of course!  Last year, when we found ourselves with an overflow of tomatoes we tried our hand at salsa and our first ever attempt at canning.  It was... disgusting.  The recipe called for so much vinegar that the salsa tasted like... wait for it.... wait for it... vinegar.  Now, there were relatives that claimed that they liked it.  We think they lied.

This year, we were determined to make a salsa that tasted like our favorite Mexican restaurant.  You know the kind, the real authentic mexican restaurant where when you walk in, you aren't sure if anyone who works there speaks any English.  I love those places!  Mostly because their salsa is so awesome!


After a couple of attempts this is the recipe I am prepared to pass along.  This recipe will make a ton of salsa- about a quart and a half- but it is so good you'll be glad you made this much!


What you will need:
3 pounds of tomatoes
3/4 of a large onion
1 jalapeno pepper
1/2 cup fresh cilantro
1 clove of garlic
1 can of green chillies
1 Tbls Lime juice
1/4 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cumin



Our procedure:
Using a food processor (I'm sure a big blender would work too) I pulsed the onion, jalapeno pepper (I removed the seeds), cilantro, and garlic until finely chopped.

Then I poured that mixture into a separate bowl so that I could pulse the tomatoes separately.  If you choose to do it together, you risk overfilling the processor and/or liquifying the tomatoes before the other ingredients are chopped. 

We skinned and seeded the tomatoes by throwing them into boiling water for about 30 seconds, then dunking them into ice water.  The skin will peel of easily.  Then by gently squeezing the tomato the seeds and liquidy stuff will also come out.  But be careful!  It can shoot out of the fruit in a direction you were not expecting.  In fact, the back splash in the kitchen, earned it's name tonight!

Then after squeezing as much of the liquid out by hand, I put them into the food processor and pulsed it until it was not chunky, but not too smooth either.

We then combined those two items in a large bowl and added the green chillies (gently drained), salt, sugar, cumin, and lime juice.

Mix it all together and enjoy!!!  


We made 3 batches and pressure canned it so we can enjoy this garden fresh salsa well into the winter!