Secret Recipe Unveiled: Mom's Tomato Salsa
I'm 100% not joking when I say that this will be the best salsa you've ever eaten. I literally grew up on this stuff as a kid. Every summer as soon as the garden tomatoes were ripe, there was continually a massive mixing bowl of this in the fridge. We ate it on everything, chips: tacos, saltine crackers when we ran out of chips, with a spoon when we ran out of saltine crackers. We were powered by tomatoes 3 months out of the year. My brother and I could wipe out an entire batch of it between us for one meal. I don't know how mom came up with this recipe, but as soon as I moved out of the house I had to have it. I can't exist in summertime without it.
If you love fresh tomatoes and peppers, this is the way to go. Because the recipe depends so heavily upon the clean flavors of the tomatoes and jalapenos, though, you really need fresh garden tomatoes. Tonight I made it with some random tomatoes I found at the grocery store that were labeled "local"... the best I could do in a pinch (I *so* wish I could have my own garden right now..) Tonight I also skipped the celery and had to use serrano peppers, as the jalapenos at the store were looking a little sad.
Mom's Tomato Salsa
4 medium garden tomatoes, cubed
1/2 c. minced onion
1/2 c. minced celery
1/4 c. minced green pepper
2 Tbsp. vinegar
3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp dried basil (fresh if you have it but not too much)
1-2 minced jalapenos
Toss everything together in a bowl; let it sit for at least an hour in the fridge for flavors to combine. It gets better with even more time, but I never have the patience.
Still tastes better when mom makes it; what can I say. Unfortunately my photos only come out awesome when it's daylight, so this shot doesn't do it justice.
If you love fresh tomatoes and peppers, this is the way to go. Because the recipe depends so heavily upon the clean flavors of the tomatoes and jalapenos, though, you really need fresh garden tomatoes. Tonight I made it with some random tomatoes I found at the grocery store that were labeled "local"... the best I could do in a pinch (I *so* wish I could have my own garden right now..) Tonight I also skipped the celery and had to use serrano peppers, as the jalapenos at the store were looking a little sad.
Mom's Tomato Salsa
4 medium garden tomatoes, cubed
1/2 c. minced onion
1/2 c. minced celery
1/4 c. minced green pepper
2 Tbsp. vinegar
3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp dried basil (fresh if you have it but not too much)
1-2 minced jalapenos
Toss everything together in a bowl; let it sit for at least an hour in the fridge for flavors to combine. It gets better with even more time, but I never have the patience.
Still tastes better when mom makes it; what can I say. Unfortunately my photos only come out awesome when it's daylight, so this shot doesn't do it justice.