Holy moly it’s been hot this week! We’ve needed it and so have the plants.
Why is it that as the weather gets hotter, so does the food? All I can think about at the moment is Mexican and Thai food. Just me? If so, I’m afraid you’ll have to bear with me for a while, my third Mexican recipe in two weeks will be up soon!
All this sunshine means tomato season is just around the corner and to me that means one thing. SALSA.
Let’s get serious for a minute, because salsa is serious business after all. You can play with the recipe below so, so much. Change the chilli to change the heat. Plum tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, tomatoes as big as your hand but promise me one thing; get the best tomatoes you can afford. Value tomatoes that look a bit pasty aren’t going to make an incredible salsa. Try to head down to your local fruit and veg shop, they’ll no doubt have better pickings than the Supermarket.
To fill two 400ml jars, you’ll need: 500g tomatoes 1 onion (peeled and halved) 2 chillies (How hot would you like it? I used a purple birds eye and Hungarian hot wax) 1 clove of garlic (skin on) a handful of fresh corriander juice of 1 limeBegin with a dry frying pan/skillet on a high heat. Add the onion, garlic cloves and fiery hot little beasts (chilli peppers). Allow to toast, turning occasionally until blackened. Charring them like this takes some of the raw heat out of the chillies, onion and garlic by part cooking them. The chillies will be sweeter, the onions and garlic softer and your salsa, a whole lot better.
Once they’re lovely and blackened, peel the garlic and chop the tops off the chillies. Add to a blender (or use a hand held) and blitz them, no one wants to find a big hunk of garlic in their salsa.
Do the exact same thing with your tomatoes, skin on, whole, dry pan, high heat. The skins are thinner so they won’t take as long. Add those to your blender along with the coriander and lime juice. How chunky do you like your salsa? Pulse until it’s just right for you. Taste it. Drool. Add some salt if needed.
If you’re making a big batch, the amount of acid in the lime juice and tomatoes should keep this happily in sterilised jars in the cupboard for up to a year so long as you water bath process it first. Otherwise, store in the fridge for up to 10 days. Don’t worry, there are loads of ways to use it up, check my serving suggestions below. Let me know if you try it!
Liven up a burger Spoon over my Mexican pulled pork Stuff in to fajhitas and tacos Serve with quinoa or rice Spread on white fish and grill Use a spoonful to top nachos with a handful of cheese Dip celery or carrot sticks as a healthy snack Mix through pasta as a cheats sauce Spice up an omelette Smother over roasted new potatoes for a spicy side Top a baked potato with a dollop and some soured cream.
Callie (@CallieThorpe) says
I have so many plum tomatoes left from my beg box this week, am so going to do this other wise they will go to waste! Is it weird that I hate tomatoes in salad or raw? Give me salsa, or tomato sauces all day long! xx
jane says
Hiya – thought about making this for Xmas gifts – are you saying that it will keep for up to a year whatever volume you make – or only on “big batches”?! Thanks
Vicki Higham says
Hi Jane
A smaller batch should be fine so long as the proportions are still the same. I’d advise that you water bath canned the jars just to be on the safe side. Place the jars in a large pan and fill the pan with water to cover the jars by 2 inches. Bring to a boil and hold there for 15 minutes. Once that’s done, the jars will keep for years and years.
I hope that helps 🙂
jane says
Thanks Vicki. I am going to give it a trial run tomorrow and see how I go. Will keep you posted!