I haven't bought jarred salsa in several years, not since I tried a quick homemade version that my sister-in-law made (she got the recipe from a neighbor). I now make it once every few weeks and it couldn't be simpler: To a blender or food processor, add 1 can (28 ounces) whole peeled tomatoes, 1 jalapeño (seeded if desired), 1 small onion, a handful of fresh cilantro, and 1 tablespoon each red-wine vinegar and vegetable oil and blend to desired consistency. I add a few cloves raw garlic (or use roasted if you want like less garlicky heat). Hate cilantro? Add parsley instead. I think I am going to try my next batch with fire-roasted tomatoes.
May 5, 2010
quick homemade salsa
Posted by Kellee MillerComments (5)
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From: Jade | 5/21/10 at 11:38 am
Mmm great call, I love homemade salsa- so much more fresh!
From: Bonnie | 6/11/10 at 11:11 am
Looks great! Do you drain the tomatoes?
From: Kellee Miller | 6/11/10 at 1:02 pm
I never do. If you do drain them, the salsa will have thicker consistency, which might be to your preference. If you want to experiment, drain the tomatoes, saving the liquid, and see how the consistency comes out and then thin the salsa with the reserved liquid if you like.
From: Judy | 8/31/10 at 2:39 pm
So if I have a surplus of fresh tomatoes (never a bad thing), how many would be the equivalent of a 28-ounce can of tomatoes? Can you freeze salsa? I love homemade salsa, and have heaps & heaps of tomatoes. I have so many tomatoes, I'm not sure that even I, the salsa-obsessed one, could eat it all before it went bad...
From: Carla Lalli Music | 8/31/10 at 4:00 pm
Hi Judy,
Our September issue has a story called "Saving Summer" that is all about freezing summer produce to use throughout the coming months. In our development, we found that about 5 medium beefsteak tomatoes, frozen, was more or less the same as a 28-ounce can of peeled whole tomatoes. The best way to freeze tomatoes is to score a small X on the bottom of each, then add to boiling water until the skins start to curl up around the cut. Cool the tomatoes, then peel them, before freezing in a freezer bag. I'm not sure about freezing salsa, though--the mixture will probably be mealy and watery when thawed. But it couldn't hurt to freeze a couple of cups as an experiment.
The September magazine also has an entire story devoted to tomatoes—salads, soups, tarts, etc. The recipes won't be online until next month, but you should be able to find copies on newsstands now!
Good luck!