Black Bear's Roasted Tomato Salsa

This recipe is time consuming, but worth the effort.  While grilling my veggies last summer, I drew the attention of our resident black bear (the veggies smelled divine).  I didn't want to leave the grill for a photo then, but included a more recent image of him here (dining with a few feathered friends).

If you don't want to stand over a hot grill, you may roast the tomatoes, peppers and onions on a foil lined, oiled cookie sheet, skin side-up. Set the oven to broil and the rack about 4 inches from the heat element. Watch for the skin to blacken and peel. When it does, remove from heat.

Plum (or Roma) tomatoes are the meatiest variety for this recipe, but I have shopped around late in the season for canning tomatoes or 'seconds' and used them with success too.  Remember not to use anything too soft and remove small blemishes with a sharp paring knife, before roasting.

5 pounds tomatoes (about 9 cups), halved lengthwise, cores removed
10 red jalapeno chiles
2 - 3 inferno chiles
2 heads of garlic with the top sliced off for roasting
3 medium sized sweet onions, peeled and cut into quarters
about 1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1 tablespoon salt (or more to suit)
2 tablespoons sugar
5 pint jars

Wash all veggies.  Core the chiles and remove seeds with a grapefruit spoon (wear food service gloves).

Using long handles tongs, roast the tomatoes on a clean grill.  You'll have to keep turning them as they char.  Don't be afraid to let the skins blacken and peel (blisters) away as you cook them.  This is what makes the salsa so good.  Much liquid will leak out of the maters as well.  No worries on this account either.

Remove the tomatoes to a very large bowl.  More liquid will seep out as they sit.

Next, roast the peppers and onions.

Back inside the house, drizzle a little olive oil down into the exposed raw garlic.  Wrap each head in tin foil and place into a small oven proof dish. Roast in the oven at about 400 degrees until the garlic cloves are soft.

Meanwhile, peel the cooled tomatoes, and peppers, leaving little charred bits that cling to flesh. Reserve the veggie liquid in the bottom of the bowl.

Working in batches, chop the veggies in a food processor or blender. When the garlic is roasted, squeeze the cloves from their jackets, and add to the tomato mixture. Transfer the veggies and reserved liquid, into a wide preserving pot, and add the remaining ingredients. Boil five minutes, stirring to prevent scorching.

Ladle the salsa into sterile pint sized jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace.  Seal jars and process in boiling water bath, 40 minutes.

Enjoy with corn chips!

My Way - Salsa Verde

Salsa Verde (green salsa) is traditionally made with tomatillos, a green, tomato-like staple in Mexican cuisine.  A few years ago, my entire tomato crop was struck with a blight, that caused the fruit to slowly rot before fully ripening.  Heartbroken, and unwilling to deem the crop a total-loss, I harvested the beautiful, green tomatoes before they were affected, and set about to make salsa verde.  Needless to say, when finished, I had more than enough for our little household of two, and so shared with the family.  The salsa was a hit, and we're now huge fans of the green alternative to traditional red salsa.

4 pounds (8 cups) green tomatoes.
olive oil
1 cup while vinegar
1 pound sweet, yellow onions (2 cups)
1/2 - 1 pound seeded, chili peppers (choose a light green pepper of your choice, depending upon the heat desired)
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 tsp salt

Line a cookie sheet with tin foil and brush with olive oil. Slice the tomatoes in half, and place them cut-side-down, on the foil, brushing the skin side with olive oil (you'll have to work in batches).  Broil the tomatoes until blackened in spots (don't burn them, just scorch them).  Cool.

Again working in batches, peel off the skins (this will be easier now that the skins have been scorched).

Puree the pulp in a food processor (if you like it a little chunky, don't over process).  Next, puree the onions, chili peppers and garlic.

Combine all vegetables, in a large saucepan.  Add vinegar, and salt.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until the salsa has thickened to your liking (too thin and it will roll off your tortilla chips :)

Remove from heat, add cilantro and add more salt if desired.

Ladle into jars, leaving a 1/2 inch headspace, and process in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes (pints).  Delicious!!

Black Bean and Avocado Salsa

This recipe is courtesy of my cousin, Christina Costain at Crafty's Cafe.  Of all the black bean salsa's I've tried, it's my favorite!  Try it with blue corn tortilla chips or salted, baked pita chips.  Yummy!


2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed (Christina recommends Bush beans, because they are indeed, black!)
2 ears of corn, boiled or roasted (or a comparable amount of frozen corn)
2 large tomatoes, seeded and diced
2 -3 firm-ripe avocados, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 red onion, finely minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 -3 limes, juiced 
1 bunch of cilantro (leaves only), chopped
olive oil and red wine vinegar to taste
salt and pepper to taste


Juice the limes first, then prepare the avocados.  Place the avocado pieces in a large bowl, and pour the lime juice over; toss well to prevent browning.  Add the remaining ingredients.  Drizzle with olive oil, and about 2 tablespoons vinegar.  Season with salt and pepper.  Refrigerate for about 15 minutes, adjust seasonings and serve.

Mango and Avocado Salsa

I love this fresh and colorful salsa.  You can serve it with corn chips, or spoon over fish or chicken dishes.  When ripe mangoes aren't available, I've found them prepared and sliced in large jars or plastic clam shells, in the refrigerated produce section at the grocery store.  I've even bought them fresh, but prepared in a light syrup, and they still made a wonderful salsa.

2 large mangos, halved, pitted, peeled, diced
2 ripe avocados, halved, pitted, peeled, diced
1/2 fresh jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely minced
1/3 cup finely diced red onion
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/4 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients and mix well.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Spoon over fish and chicken dishes.  Excellent with green chili enchiladas and fish tacos.

Texas Caviar (Black-Eyed Peas)

While researching a recipe for Texas Caviar, I found one that called for hominy.  Intrigued, I bought a can of hominy, and combined a few different recipes to arrive at the one below.  My family of salsa connoisseurs, gave it a big thumbs up!  

Hominy, a food staple in Mexico, Central America and the American south, is a dried maize (corn), that has been treated with a corrosive agent to preserve the more healthful aspects of the corn kernel.  Canned hominy has already been cooked, so its soft, and creamy in texture.

Black-eyed peas, are actually a bean.  They're eaten throughout the southern states, and are considered a must-have on New Year's Day dinner tables, as they're thought to ensure prosperity in the coming year.

I like my salsa to have a little kick, so I used one jalapeno pepper.  For more heat, add another.

2 (15 ounce) cans black-eyed peas, drained
1 (15 ounce) can yellow hominy (try it, but in a pinch you can use frozen or canned corn)
2 medium sized, seeded, fresh tomatoes, diced
1-2 fresh jalapenos, stemmed, seeded, and finely minced
2 bunches green onions, white and light green part only, chopped
1/4 cup fresh cilantro (leaves only), chopped
8 tablespoons red wine vinegar
8 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (or, 1 large garlic clove finely minced)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin

Mix all ingredients in a medium bowl; cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving.  Adjust seasonings to taste.  Serve with good quality corn chips.