GARDEN FRESH SALSA

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Garden Fresh Salsa image

I grow a wide variety of tomatoes and hot peppers in my garden every year for the sole purpose of making this recipe. The measurements aren't exact, i.e. I use the eyeball/taste test method of cooking, but it always comes out great even if it is a little different each time.

Provided by Chef Curt

Categories     Sauces

Time 45m

Yield 20 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 12

2 onions
2 green bell peppers
12 jalapeno peppers
1 bunch fresh cilantro
20 medium tomatoes (garden fresh is best, but in winter one must make due)
1 whole garlic (The whole thing! not just a clove)
6 hot peppers (habenero, cayenne, etc.)
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons pepper
1/4 cup Tabasco sauce
1/4 cup vinegar
1 lime, juice of

Steps:

  • Individually chop all the peppers, onions, garlic, and cilantro and put them in a large bowl. A food processor comes in real handy here, but you can do it by hand as well. The processor helps, because I like my salsa pretty smooth, but you can make it chunky style too, that just depends on your personal preference.
  • On peppers:.
  • The bell peppers are necessary as a good base to the salsa but they don't add any heat. Adding the jalapenos as listed above should make your salsa come out a notch or two above the hot stuff you get at the store (still not very hot in my opinion). Adding less or more jalapenos will vary the degree of heat to the salsa. I chop the whole pepper as well (minus the stem) as the heat is stored in the guts of the pepper which a lot of people mistakenly clean out with the seeds. Adding other varieties of hot peppers or sauces will also add flavor and make your salsa unique. Just be careful but remember experimentation is a good thing.
  • Stir all this in the bowl, and now its time to add the tomatoes. I always use fresh tomatoes (even if I have to pay for the nice ones at the store in winter). You can do 50/50 fresh vs. canned and it will still taste good, but if you do all canned tomatoes it will taste like canned salsa which you might as well just buy at the store. That's really the big secret to great salsa. Fresh tomatoes, fresh peppers and fresh cilantro taste a whole lot better than stuff that's been sitting on the shelf for a few months. Back to the tomatoes though, I peel them and puree them and add them to the mix. Your bowl should be almost half full pre-tomatoes and that's generally the ratio I use. Good salsa is about 50% tomatoes and 50% other good stuff. Stir all this really well, and now it is time to season and taste test. You will want to put in 3-4 tablespoons of salt (this is a big batch after all). I taste test while adding the salt. Not enough and it will taste a little flat, too much and it will be ... too salty. If you go overboard you can add more tomatoes to dilute it (this works with the pepper heat too), but I just add some and taste until its right. Now add some black pepper and Tabasco, or experiment on other hot sauces. I also like to add a couple tablespoons vinegar and juice from one lime to add acidity. Once everything is mixed in and suits your taste, give it a final good blending and place in the refrigerator. It's good for it to set in the cool for a few hours or even overnight as this allows all the flavors to mix together and steep. Just like a good chili, salsa is always better the next day. You should have a mammoth sized bowl of salsa that looks like it will last a month, but trust me, I doubt it makes it to the end of the week. Now its time to stock up on the Tostitos!
  • Warning: Salsa is proven to be addictive, and once you've had fresh, its hard to go back to that stuff they sell in the grocery store. Seriously though, use caution when you are handling the peppers, especially the hotter varieties, as the heat stays on your fingers, and could irritate your eyes or nose or other sensitive areas that you might inadvertently scratch for the next few hours after you are done in the kitchen.

TUMUHAIRWE BABRA
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I've been making this salsa for years and it's always a hit. It's the perfect balance of spicy and sweet.


ALMA VALDERAMA
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This salsa is the perfect addition to any party or gathering. It's always a crowd-pleaser.


YOUSSEF VIP
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I love the fact that this salsa is made with fresh ingredients. It makes it so much more flavorful.


Simbulele Sotho
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This salsa is a great way to add some flavor to your favorite Mexican dishes.


Nokwazi Mkhwanazi
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I made this salsa for my family and they loved it. It was the perfect addition to our taco night.


Nia Peter-Thomas
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This salsa is so versatile. I love using it as a dip, a marinade, or a sauce.


janakraj awasthi
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I've tried many salsa recipes, but this one is by far the best. It's the perfect combination of flavors.


Hazel Levesque • Mѕ Mєтαl Ɗєтєcтσя
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This salsa is a great way to use up all the fresh produce from my garden.


Ambika Tamang
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I love the freshness of this salsa. It's so much better than the store-bought stuff.


Shahzaib Maqsood
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This salsa is the perfect addition to any Mexican dish. It's also great on tacos, burritos, and nachos.


Twaliq Chim
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I made this salsa for a potluck and it was a huge success. Everyone raved about how flavorful it was.


Naeem Zahid
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This salsa is so easy to make and it's so delicious. I love that I can use fresh ingredients from my garden.


Meggan Honeycutt
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I've been making this salsa for years and it never disappoints. It's the perfect balance of sweet, savory, and spicy.


Marlene Wilson
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This salsa was a hit at my last party! Everyone loved the fresh, zesty flavor.


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