Tons of Tomatoes

Well, another below freezing morning (read Darren picked, then covered, the garden again). This time he not only brought in a plethora of peppers, but also tons of tomatoes. Seizing the opportunity, I decided to make what is likely my last batch of salsa using this year’s tomato crop. That doesn’t mean we won’t have salsa until next year, it just means I have to use the inferior tomatoes we get from the store…there’s just nothing like homegrown tomatoes!

We like all kinds of salsa, but my favorite way to make salsa is to roast the veggies first. Sometimes I do this on the grill outside (actually Darren does), but on a cold day like today, I do this under the broiler in the oven…it helps warm the kitchen! First, I put the tomatoes, jalapenos, onion, & peeled garlic in my cast iron baking dish; drizzle with olive oil & put in the oven under the broiler. Now forget about it for a while until it starts to smell good & the peels start to turn black. Don’t be scared…that’s what makes it taste good! As you can see, my pan is quite full, probably too full to properly roast everything…did I mention it was a ton of tomatoes? You can also see that our tomatoes are small. We planted Roma grape tomatoes & yellow pear-shaped cherry tomatoes…yuuuummmmmm! Because they are so small, I can’t feasibly peel them after roasting. When using large tomatoes, I peel them…mostly. Those little black bits of tomato & jalapeno peel add such a great depth of flavor to the salsa that I don’t get too carried away with the peeling. As a matter of fact, I get rather lazy about it!

Once everything is roasted to my satisfaction, I put it all in the food processor & puree…you might want to take the stems off of the jalapenos first! For a milder salsa, scrape the seeds out of the jalapenos. I know, I know, you are asking, “How much of everything did you use?” Well that depends on how many tomatoes you have. For about 2 pounds of tomatoes, I use about half of a medium onion, 4 garlic cloves, & 3-4 jalapenos (ours are pretty large & HOT!). Of course, the best thing to do is just give it a try…then adjust it to your taste. Also, use whatever chilies you like. We grow jalapenos, so that is what I use when they are in season. Otherwise, I use the roasted Anaheims that I keep in the freezer.

As an aside, check out this interesting jalapeno that Darren picked. This is the end opposite the stem. There were several off of this same plant, all with similar defects in the same location…an interesting observation in genetics!

Okay, back to the salsa. To the pureed veggies in the food processor, add lime juice, ground cumin, fresh cilantro, salt, & pepper; process again. You will probably need to add some liquid to get it the consistency you want. I usually deglaze the roasting pan with a little water & add it to the salsa. If you still need more liquid, you can add a little more water or olive oil…just don’t overdo it; you want it to stick to the chips! As for the seasonings, you just add a little to begin with, then taste…add more of what you want & repeat until it is to your liking. Be sure to taste it alone & on chips…I know, it’s tough to be the cook!

The salsa will keep for a couple of weeks in the fridge & is great on soooo many things…scrambled eggs, nachos, fried eggs, baked potatoes, tacos, burritos, & chips, of course. The possibilities are endless, so make plenty!