The Secret to My Salsa...

We are at the peak of summer here in South Texas and that means

TOMATOES!

I only planted nine tomato plants this year but they are giving me loads of fruits. They really love this heat and humidity!  As soon as the first tomatoes turned the slightest hue of orange, the boys started hollering for salsa.  

So I thought I'd share my recipe.

The secret to my salsa is...

There is NO recipe!

And really, isn't that how the best things come about? 

First, I core and split a large pizza pan size amount of tomatoes from the garden (how's that for specifics?).  Place them under the broiler for 5-8 minutes until they are charred and the skin starts to wrinkle.  Allow to cool slightly, take off the skins, and give them a squeeze to remove excess water and seeds.  

Puree in food processor.

Next, add one onion, 3 cloves of garlic, a handful of cilantro, and garden peppers to the food processor.  For mild salsa, remove all seeds and veins of the peppers.  For a little more kick, leave some in.

Season to taste with salt, cumin, paprika, and chili powder.  

I also add a splash of apple cider vinegar, 

the juice of one lime will work just as well.

Combine well and allow to sit for a few hours 

to let all the flavors combine.

Then taste test and adjust your seasonings

(LOTS of tortilla chips come in handy for this step!)

Then jar it up and put in the fridge.

This "recipe" makes 4-5 pints.

I like small batch cooking because I don't can my salsa,

I don't like the way cooked salsa tastes.

But truth be told, 

it NEVER lasts that long around here anyway!