Fresh Salsa (a.k.a still using garden-fresh tomatoes)

This year's tomatoes grown in straw bales exceeded all expectations! We planted 6 heirloom tomato plants in 3 bales. I only remember one variety - Brandywine. The other two were labeled at their base...but then the plants exploded out of their cages, and we couldn't find the markers.

 
We harvested over 100 pounds of fruit that we ate fresh - mainly with fresh mozzarella and basil along with olive oil and aged balsamic vinegar. We gave away lots more. Then the weather started to change, and in the middle of November we harvest over 100 pounds of green tomatoes. After giving away many, canning a bunch of green tomato pickles, and trying fried green tomatoes for the first time, we still had tomatoes ripening. So, when we had more than a dozen ripe when we got back from our Thanksgiving trip to Tucson, I had to get busy.

I have made pico de gallo many times, I haven't tried a blended fresh salsa...so here goes!

Start off by chopping medium-size tomatoes and cut out any blemishes.
 
Seed the tomatoes and toss them into the bowl of your food processor...

 
...along with  2 chopped up jalapenos (removing the ribs and some of the seeds...or all seeds, if you like it mild),  one chopped onion (I would have preferred a red onion, but I didn't realize I was out), 3 cloves of chopped garlic and chopped cilantro.
Pulse to get the big pieces chopped down, then run the food processor until you have the consistency you are looking for.

Add in salt & pepper, juice from one lemon (out of limes...doggone it!) and hot sauce of your choice. Blend it in and taste so you can adjust seasonings.

I made two batches - the one on the left used up the last of my red onions...and I used more hot sauce in the one on the right.

I used a cup of salsa to make my Seasoned Lentil-Stuffed Peppers, and we'll munch on the rest with chips :)

Now what are we going to do with the rest of the tomatoes?



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