From wwwca@NO_SPAM_earthlink.net Fri Nov 30 15:16:01 2001 Date: 30 Nov 2001 12:56:03 GMT From: Bill Wight Newsgroups: rec.food.recipes Subject: Salsa (2) Collection Followup-To: rec.food.cooking, rec.food.recipes Salsa Fresca - Garden Salsa Canned Red Salsa - Lynn's Request From: Billy Smith I am looking for a good salsa recipe that is mild, fast.to make and can be stored on the pantry shelf, or in the refrigerator. Please help. Billy, When you make your own salsa, yuou can tailor the heat level for your individual taste by using mild chile peppers and adding in a little at a time some of the hotter varieties. You can make up a batch of fresh salsa and keep it in the refrigerator for several days. The only way you can have salsa that you can keep in your pantry shelf is to can it. Canning salsa is not an easy and fast process and you need a pressure canner to do it safely. Here is my recipe for fresh garden salsa. It will keep in the regrigerator well for several days. Bill Wight * Exported from MasterCook * Salsa Fresca - Garden Salsa Recipe By : Bill Wight Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time :0:00 Categories : Salsa Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method -------- ------------ -------------------------------- 2 pounds ripe red tomatoes -- rough chop 1 pound green tomatoes -- rough chop - or- 1 pound tomatillos -- chop 6 large Anaheim peppers -- seeded, deveined, -- rough chop 1/2 bunch cilantro -- fresh 1 medium white or yellow onion -- rough chop 2 jalapeno peppers -- seeded, -- rough chop -- adjust number of hot peppers -- for desired heat level 2 juice of 2 limes 2 teaspoons salt -- (to taste) If using a food processor or salsa maker, add tomatoes first and process/chop being careful not to turn tomatoes into mush. Add tomatoes to large mixing bowl. Process/chop the onion and peppers separately to about 1/4-inch size pieces and add to bowl. Hand chop the cilantro with a knife, discard thicker stems and add to mixing bowl. Mix all ingredients. Remove excess liquid and drink--lots of vitamin C. Add lime juice and salt to taste. Note: this salsa is best if made with home-grown tomatoes. You can also add a diced ripe avocado. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - If you are into canning, here is the recipe that I have used for several years. My wife and I can 100-200 pints of this salsa every year from tomatoes and peppers we grow in our garden. This salsa will last in unopened canned jars for several years. However, if you have to go out to a market and buy all the ingredients, the cost is going to be more per pint than what you will pay for commercial salsa. * Exported from MasterCook * Canned Red Salsa - Lynn's Recipe By : Lynn Bartlett (Modified by Bill Wight) Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time :0:00 Categories : Mexican Salsa Canned Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method -------- ------------ -------------------------------- 9 medium onions -- white or yellow, -- roughly chopped 9 quarts tomatoes -- red, ripe, peeled, -- seeded and chopped, 106 ounces tomato sauce -- large, -- institutional, -- sized can 2 teaspoons garlic or 6 cloves -- minced 5 quarts fresh green peppers -- seeded and chopped mix of Anaheim -- bell, New Mexico, -- Hungarian wax sweet banana or other mild peppers 1 pint red peppers -- seeded and chopped mix of red bell -- Anaheim or Numex 4 tablespoons salt 3/4 cup vinegar 2 bunches fresh cilantro -- chopped 1 pint hot fresh peppers red or green -- seeded and chopped Shopping list: about 14 pounds of tomatoes, about 3 pounds of peppers, about 4 pounds of onions, 2 bunches of cilantro. Tip: wear plastic or rubber gloves when working with the peppers or you'll get hot hands. Chop the tomatoes into about 1/2" cubes by hand as the food processor or salsa maker will make them too mushy. Chop the red and green peppers and the onions in a food processor or salsa maker to the desired size--small chunks for a smoother salsa, bigger pieces for a chunky salsa. You will need a very large pot, at least 20 quarts. I use my water canner to make the salsa and then transfer the salsa after it is cooked to two smaller pots. I found when I first began to use the water canner that its thin bottom caused the salsa to burn on the bottom. So I went to our local steel yard and found some 1/2" thick plate, 10" wide. I had the guy cut it at 12" long (cost about $15). I put this plate over the gas burner and then the canner on top of the plate. With this plate, I've yet to get more than a small amount of burned salsa on the bottom of the canner. Add the onions, tomatoes and peppers to the pot and mix well. Turn on burner and bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer for 1 1/2 hours. I found that my original batches of this salsa were too watery. The problem is the liquids coming out of the tomatoes. So after the salsa cooks for 1 1/2 hours, I scoop out about 2 quarts of liquid and pour it through a strainer into a large glass bowl. Return the chunks from the strainer to the salsa pot. DO NOT discard this liquid, as it makes a wonderful drink (you might have to dilute it 50:50 with tomato juice to reduce the heat level). While the salsa is cooking, take the hotter peppers, Serrano, Jalapeno, Jalapa, Thai, Habanero, etc. and put them into a blender jar with a little water. Puree and set aside. After the liquid has been removed from the big pot, add the big can of tomato sauce and then stir. Taste the salsa for the heat level. If it needs more heat, add the hot pureed peppers a tablespoon at a time to the salsa pot and mix well. Taste and adjust the heat to your level by adding more of the hot pepper puree. Now add the chopped cilantro, garlic, vinegar and salt to the pot, mix well and bring to a boil. Simmer for 30 minutes stirring well every 10 minutes or so. Bring to a boil just before canning. I find that 1 pint wide-mouth jars are best for canning this salsa. You will need 24-28 pint jars for a batch of this salsa and if you can the liquid you removed, you will need another 8 or so pint jars. Process in a pressure canner* for 15 minutes, or more depending on your elevation above sea level. Always use new jar lids. Be sure to allow 1/2 inch head space and follow the canning directions for salsa or tomatoes. Note: * I used to can this recipe in a boiling water canner but I was informed by several canning experts, including a PhD professor of food science, that this recipe does not have enough acidity and that canning in a boiling water canner carries the potential risk of botulism poisoning. For safe boiling water canning, the pH of the salsa must be 4.0. This recipe makes really great canned salsa, much better than any commercial product. Measure tomato and pepper volume after chopping. I tired making this salsa with homemade tomato sauce from fresh tomatoes. The salsa had a 'too tomatoy' taste. The commercial tomato sauce made a better salsa. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- Rec.food.recipes is moderated; only recipes and recipe requests are accepted for posting. Please send recipes, requests, questions or comments to Moderator Patricia Hill at recipes@rt66.com Please allow several days for your submission to appear.