Ever wonder what to do with all those green tomatoes left on the vine at the end of the summer?Fifty-six (56) pints of Tomato Salsa, 28 pints using green tomatoes and 28 with a mix of green and red, and nine 8oz jars of Green Tomato Chutney, and I am done canning for the season. Yeah!
Canned Green Tomato Salsa from Diana's kitchen
3 TB Extra Virgin olive oil
11 lbs green tomatoes, chopped
3 extra large sweet onions, chopped
3 sweet red peppers, chopped
3 sweet green peppers, chopped
4 jalapeño peppers, seeds removed, finely chopped (+/- according to personal taste)
8 large garlic cloves, minced
1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
2 TB sea salt
1/2 TB black pepper
1/2 tsp Cayenne pepper (or more to taste)
1 tsp Cumin
1/4 cup lime juice
1/4 cup white vinegar
1 TB raw honey
Add olive oil to an extra large kettle and heat on medium. Add tomatoes, onions, peppers and stir. Add and combine the remainder of the ingredients. Mix well, heat slowly to simmer, and cook uncovered for 25-30 minutes or until it reaches the consistency you prefer. Stir frequently and be careful of the temperature so as not to burn the mixture.
Ladle the hot simmering salsa into hot sterilized pint jars (or quarts), and fill to within 1/2 inch from top. Wipe jar rims with a clean cloth. Place sterilized flat lid on the jar and adjust the ring. Place in a boiling water bath; water should cover the lids by about an inch. Bring the water back to boiling and process for 15-20 minutes.
When complete, carefully remove each jar from canner with a jar lifter and place onto a thick towel or mat and in a draft free area. Gently lay a hand towel over the top of the jars, and allow them to cool to room temperature. Do not touch the lids, but allow them to seal over a period of hours (overnight). In the morning check seals, label, date and store in a cool, dry, dark place. Makes 14 pints. PS: if any didn't seal, put it in the refrigerator, buy some chips and enjoy!
Important Note: If you are just starting out, first read about the basics of home canning. Here is a place to begin, a simple overview, and from the Culinary Arts College, a list of 50 websites for learning self-canning.
One of the first things I learned to can as a youngster was tomatoes, a good place to start because of the high acidity. Tools were few, and an inexpensive water bath canner was used.
By the way, we love the salsa, as did our friends who came for dinner last week. They said it was the best they had ever eaten. (wink) I'm not sure that it is the best, but that comment got them a couple jars to take home. If you like it with a bit more heat, simply add a little cayenne and that will kick it up a notch.
