Salsa verde is the saving grace of a fall frost
While we eagerly await that first cold snap, new gardeners may fret over the fate of their fall tomatoes. Gardening columnist Lee Rouse advises picking those green tomatoes soon after the weatherman warns of an upcoming frost and making the most of the green harvest with this salsa verde recipe.
This spicy, savory salsa is easily jarred to make the perfect gift for friends and family throughout the holidays.
To learn more about planting and harvesting fall tomatoes, read Lee Rouse’s gardening column from our September issue here. And keep reading for his salsa verde recipe.
Salsa Verde
Adapted from the Ball Blue Book
20 medium-sized green tomatoes
15 jalapeños
8 red onions
2 yellow onions
8-10 garlic cloves
1 cup lime juice from bottle
1 cup fresh cilantro
4 tsp. cumin
1 Tbs. dried oregano
2 tsp. salt or to taste
2 tsp. black pepper or to taste
Equipment
Large pot for cooking salsa
Second large pot for water bath canning
12 pint-sized canning jars, new lids, and bands
Jar lifter and funnel
Blender
Clean towels and damp cloths
Ice bath container
Wash tomatoes, peppers and cilantro. Blanch tomatoes for 60 seconds and transfer to ice bath. Peel tomatoes.
Remove seeds and stems from jalapeños. Blend all the tomatoes and half of the jalapenos in a blender.
Peel and chop garlic and red and yellow onions. Dice remaining jalapenos
Combine all tomatoes, jalapeños, garlic, onion and lime juice in large pot. Over medium-high heat, bring to a boil. Stir mixture constantly.
Once boiling, add in cilantro, oregano, cumin, salt and black pepper. Reduce heat and cook for 5 minutes while stirring.
Ladle the mixture into clean canning jars (12 pints) using a canning funnel, leaving a headspace of ½ in. Be sure to wipe the lids of the jars before hand-tightening them. Fill a second large pot with water and heat to 180 degrees. Fill the pot with a single layer of jars standing upright. Be sure there is at least an inch of water above the jars. Bring water to a boil for 20 minutes. Turn off heat and let sit for 5-10 minutes. Remove jars with canning jar lifter. Allow 12 hours for cooling and seal to form on lid. After 12 hours test lid to ensure button is depressed on lids.
Yields 12 half-pint jars.
