Fresh Salsa

Although I did not cook much this time home, I was gifted with a bag of tomatoes. The result was a batch of fresh salsa. It made about 5 liters, which is way too much to eat at one sitting. By not cooking the salsa before putting in the bottles the salsa retains more of the fresh feel. You can also simmer the salsa lightly putting in the bottles. It all depends on your preference

Salsa

Pico de Gallo

5 lbs tomatoes

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp sugar

2 lbs red and green peppers

1 lb onions peeled

1 or 2 jalapeno peppers

1 cup cilantro

4 cloves garlic

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp chili powder

1 tbsp ground cumin

1 tsp thyme leaf

2 oz lime juice

2 oz cider vinegar

28 oz (1 can) crushed tomatoes.

Directions

Cut the tomatoes in a large dice. Place in a bowl and sprinkle with the salt and sugar. Let set. For at least 4 hours. Drain off the juice the comes from the tomatoes

Put the tomatoes a food processor, pulse until the tomatoes a cut to a uniform size. Empty into a large bowl. Do not over process and make tomato juice.

Large dice the onions and peppers. Place the peppers, onions cilantro, and garlic in the processor and pulse until uniform size. Add to the tomatoes. Stir in the second amount of salt, chili powder, ground cumin and thyme. Mix well

Stir in the lime juice, cider vinegar, and crushed tomatoes.

Let stand for 30 minutes to let the flavors meld.

Serve fresh or prepare to can.

You can cook the salsa or can it raw

Place 5 clean 500 ml mason jars on a rack in a boiling water canner; cover jars with water and heat to a simmer (180°F/82°C). Set screw bands aside; heat SNAP LID® sealing discs in hot water, not boiling (180°F/82°C). Keep jars and sealing discs hot until ready to us

Ladle salsa into a hot jar to within 1/2 inch (1 cm) of top rim (headspace). Using nonmetallic utensil, remove air bubbles and adjust headspace, if required, by adding more salsa. Wipe jar rim removing any food residue. Centre hot sealing disc on clean jar rim. Screw band down until resistance is met, then increase to fingertip tight. Return filled jar to rack in canner. Repeat for remaining salsa.

When canner is filled, ensure that all jars are covered by at least one inch (2.5 cm) of water. Cover canner and bring water to full rolling boil before starting to count processing time. At altitudes up to 1000 ft (305 m), process –boil filled jars – 30 minutes.*

When processing time is complete, remove canner lid, wait 5 minutes, then remove jars without tilting and place them upright on a protected work surface. Cool upright, undisturbed 24 hours; DO NOT RETIGHTEN screw bands.