The farmer's market got me again on Friday. I walked in knowing that I only needed a few things, and walked out with several bags. When the produce is this beautiful, it's hard to say "no" and particularly hard when you know in three months the fields will be covered with ice and snow and fresh, local produce will be a distant memory. SIGH
This week there were lots of tomatillos at the Hutchinson's Farms booth. Now you might not think about tomatillos when you think of Canada. In fact, they are devilishly hard to find here as a rule. Hutchinson's is the largest producer of strawberries and raspberries in the area and they employ lots of Mexicans who help on the farm. Apparently the Mexican labourers started to grow the hot peppers and tomatillos that they grew up with. One thing lead to another and now the farm makes as much income from selling peppers and tomatillos to happy Canadians as they do raspberries and strawberries!
One of my favourite uses of tomatillos is in salsa. Tomatillo salsa, made with fresh tomatillos and lime juice, along with chile peppers and seasonings, is like no other salsa you've had.
Tomatillos have to be rinsed well after the husk is removed. There's a sticky substance that coats the fruit and it can be bitter. Peel the papery husk off and rinse them well before you use them.
This recipe is adapted the recipe from The Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving which is edited by Judi Kingry and Lauren Devine. The only things changed were the types of chile peppers and the seasonings–it is not a good idea to change the amounts or proportions of acidic to non-acidic ingredients in recipes that are going to be put up in a hot water bath (non-pressure) canner. This is because the acids used in these recipes are part of what helps prevent bacteria from growing in the canned food.
Canning Tomatillo Salsa
11 cups husked, cored and chopped tomatillos
2 cups diced red onion
1 cup green Anaheim or New Mexico chiles, diced finely
1/2 cup green jalapeno chiles, diced finely
1/2 cup green poblano chiles, diced finely
8 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup white distilled vinegar
8 tablespoons lime juice
2 teaspoons ground cumin
4 tablespoons finely minced cilantro
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon saltWash five pint or ten half pint jars, their lids and rings thoroughly in hot, soapy water and rinse well.
Put all the ingredients to the salsa in a clean, heavy bottomed dutch oven or stockpot. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, then turn heat down and cook at a vigorous simmer for ten minutes, stirring now and again. Turn heat off of salsa.
Fill clean jars with hot salsa, and leave 1/2 inch of headspace at the top. Make sure there are no air bubbles in the jars, and wipe rims of jars, then top with a lid and screw down the ring. Do not tighten ring–just scew it on until it is firm, but not tight.
Put filled jars back into rack in canner, and lower them into the water. Make sure the water covers the jars. Bring to a boil, cover the canner, and process at a full boil for fifteen minutes. Turn off heat and remove canner lid. Let the jars cool for five minutes, then remove from the canner with jar lifter and set on a folded clean towel on your counter away from drafts.
Leave undisturbed for about eighteen hours. Check to make sure the lids have sealed properly–they should be concave and you shouldn’t be able to easily pry the edges up–then tighten the rings on the jars, wipe the jars down and store them in a cool place out of direct light.
Makes ten half pints or five pints of salsa.
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