End of Summer

Easy- Can Green Tomato Habanero Salsa

Every year, in a burst of Autumnal Glory, the tomato vines push out a final gasp of perfect specimens. Sadly, never to ripen, they are delicious in this easy salsa. And each time you open one of your cute little mason jars, you can remember the happy hours you spent in the garden. At exactly the same time you might have more hot peppers than you know what to do with. 

This is an easy recipe to adapt to your own taste and supplies. This year I was making this with the hottest habanero peppers I ever had. I barely used half a pepper in this recipe. I would probably have used 2 unseeded jalapenos. All spice amounts listed are for a medium hot salsa. Adjust to your own preferences.

Equipment:

6 Half Pint or 3 Pint Canning Jars, lids, bands

Pot big enough for boiling the jars

small pot for lids

pot for cooking salsa

wide mouth funnel optional but useful

Ingredients:

3 Lbs green tomatoes

2 large yellow onions (3 medium) 

2 peppers- red, green, yellow or orange

4 large garlic cloves

1/2 cup lime juice

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar (or white vinegar)

1/2 of a habanero pepper (or 2 :, or like hot pepper)

3 Tbs. Maple Syrup (more or less to taste)

1 Tbs. Salt

1 tsp. pepper

1 Tbs. oregano

1 Tbs. cumin

1 T. chili powder, (ancho chili or chipotle chili

2/3 cup cilantro chopped (optional) 

Wash the jars in hot water with soap, rinse and put into large pot with a dish towel or small rack in the bottom. Boil for 10 minutes, leave hot jars in the pot. In a separate smaller pot, put rings and lids to boil for a minute. Also leave in the hot water.

Chop up all the vegetables to medium fine, and put into large pot with the rest of the ingredients, except for the cilantro. Don't add all the hot pepper all at once, so you can adjust the spice level to taste.

Simmer for 25 minutes or so, until everything is well combined, and as soft as you want it to be. Stir a bit.

For the last 10 minutes add the chopped cilantro if you are using it.

Let cool a bit, and taste once more. Adjust if necessary.

Remove the warm jars onto a dry dishtowel, and using a ladle pour the hot salsa into the warm jars to 1/4 inch from the top. If you have a wide mouth funnel it comes in handy for this.

Wipe excess if necessary, and lay on the lids, and screw on the bands loosely.

Bring water in the the large jar-pot back to the boil, and carefully lower the filled jars into the pot.

Boil for 15 minutes.

Remove jars from pot, and gently press the middle of the lids to make sure they have all popped down.

Leave undisturbed to cool. 

Don't forget to label and date your jars.