A Southern Grace: get fresh with me

September 30, 2014

get fresh with me

Yum

Summer's over? Already? Boo! While I like the hot beverages, crisp air, and comfort foods that come with fall, I'm really going to miss all the garden-fresh produce that summer delivers.


One of my favorite things that incorporates a lot of that fresh produce is salsa. Tomatoes, peppers, cilantro, and onion just belong together, and the beauty of the sauce is that you can make it as hot or sweet as you like. No two batches are ever the same, that's for sure. This particular day, I wanted a lot of spice and quite a bit of sweetness, so I've written the recipe accordingly. If your mouth is sensitive (Mammy, I'm looking at you), definitely cut the jalapenos back to just one. You absolutely have to adjust based on the inherent sweetness of the tomatoes you use, so just use the recipe as a guide. This keeps in the fridge for quite awhile (and you can definitely process and can the stuff if you're feeling frisky), so it's a great way to hang on to summer for just a little bit longer.

Fiery Fresh Salsa
Makes about 8 cups (or 2 quart jars)
Ingredients:
  • 1 large sheet pan full of halved ripe tomatoes (about 20 Roma tomatoes or 10 beefsteak)(in other words, a lot of tomatoes)
  • 1/2 small onion, roughly chopped
  • 2 whole jalapenos, quartered, with seeds and membrane removed
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1 cup cilantro leaves
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  • 1 lime, juiced
Directions:
First, roast and peel the tomatoes: Remove the stems from your halved tomatoes and place them cut-side down on a lightly oiled baking sheet.
Put the pan in an oven preheated to 425 degrees F and cook the tomatoes until the skins are shriveled and they smell roasty, 12 to 15 minutes, checking often.
Let the tomatoes cool enough to handle, then pinch off the skins.
To make the salsa, combine the peeled and roasted tomatoes and all other ingredients in a blender or food processor. (You may need to do two separate batches depending on the size of your equipment.)
Blend until you get the salsa to the consistency you'd like.
Test seasonings with a tortilla chip and adjust as needed.


19 comments:

Rosa's Yummy Yums said...

It must taste wonderful! I love spicy salsas.

Cheers,

Rosa

Juliana said...

YUM! I love homemade salsa...you just reminded me that I should make it often...I like the idea of cumin in it!
Have a great week Grace :D

Lisa-Marie said...

Yuuum! That looks so good!

~~louise~~ said...

Hi Grace,
You are a better person than me. I am not ready to release Summer for another year so quickly. I don't even feel like it ever arrived:)

Thank goodness I bottled some Summer sunshine in the freezer with a ton of roasted tomatoes! I will be making me some spicy salsa!

Thanks for sharing, Grace...

Lyndas recipe box said...

Your salsa is calling my name Grace.....tomatoes are on my list of most missed summer produce.

Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella said...

Sorry to sound selfish but this is perfect timing for us in the Southern hemisphere as it is warming up! :D

Barbara said...

I'm with Mammy....got to cut down on the fiery part. :)
I love the roasted tomatoes, such flavor results! Really a super looking salsa, Grace.

Angie's Recipes said...

I love spicy salsa! Made some chunky tomato salsa last week too. Yours looks great, Grace.

Pam said...

I love roasting tomatoes before making salsa. This looks and sounds tasty!

pam said...

I'm ready for fall, and yes I'll miss the fresh produce, but I'll console myself with lots of warm comforting stews!

Joanne said...

I love the idea of keeping summer alive for a bit longer by eating ALL THE FRESH SALSA!

Beth said...

Sometimes it's hard saying goodbye to the summer, but I love the fall so much that it's an easy switch. Still, I know what it's like to use last season's produce as long as possible. Looks like a great recipe, and very versatile.

Erica said...

I am a big fan of homemade salsas! My favorite appetizer is tortilla chips with salsa. This recipe sounds delicious, Grace!

Amy (Savory Moments) said...

Fresh salsa is so tasty and such a great way to use up the last of the summer tomatoes.

Carolyn Jung said...

I hear ya on that. I've been picking the last of my home-grown tomatoes. I see a few green ones still on the vines, but wonder if they'll ripen before the cold really sets in. Ahhh, summer -- way too short, wasn't it? ;)

Jo-Lynne Shane said...

That looks amazing! I love fresh salsa. And I'm not too happy to see summer end either, although I do love breaking out my fall boots. :-)

Savor The Baking said...

A good salsa recipe is always a great thing to have. I made some myself at the spare of the moment last week. I'm sad to see Summer come and go as well.

Big Rigs 'n Lil' Cookies said...

Dang... why have I never made a salsa like this? Next time I need some, I will be trying your recipe!

All That I'm Eating said...

I love fresh salsa, can't eat enough of it, yours sounds fab!