Vegan in the Village: Pepper & Tomato Salsa

Love salsa. So multi purpose. This is a great time of year to make your own - especially if you grew tomatoes and have an excess. You can can this recipe (I did today) or you can just store it in the fridge after it's done.

Ingredients (to make 6-7 500 ml jars)

7 Lbs of chopped tomatoes (approx.)
3 Peppers (Mixed colors if you have em)
2 Medium Jalapeno
2 Sweet Hot Peppers
1 Red or White Onion
1 & 1/3 Cup Vinegar (Apple Cider or Red Wine)
1 Packet of Bernardin Salsa Mix

OR instead of the Bernardin:

1/2 Cup Pickling Salt
2 Tbsp Dried Cilantro
1 Tbsp Cumin
1 Tbsp Basil
add any other dried spices you

Optional: Dried Cilantro (to taste)

Supplies (if canning):

Large stainless steel pot
Canner
Various Canning Supplies (you can get these at Canadian tire, not a big investment)
500 ml Canning Jars & Lids

1. First select & wash your tomatoes

Tomatoes & cold water in sink

2. Slice and remove the seeds (if you are making the big batch this will take a while). I find it easiest to slice them in half or quarters & use my thumbs or fingers to push out the seeds.

Push your thumb in - Out come the seeds & liquid

Shells after removing seeds - make sure to cut out bad spots

3. Chop up the tomatoes

4. Chop up the Onion into little pieces

5. Put the onion & tomato into a colander, mix it up, let the extra liquid pour out for a few hours - stirring every once in a while. If you are NOT using the Bernardin mix, you can add your salt now and mix it up.

I use this old pasta cooker pot to drain liquid

6. Clean, Remove Seeds & Chop up the 3 Peppers into little pieces

7. Clean, Remove Seeds & Chop up the Hot Peppers into tiny pieces

Jalapenos & Sweet Hot Peppers

It's easy to use a small spoon to remove the seeds

8. Add it all together in a metal pot with the 1 1/3 Cup Vinegar, Extra dried Cilantro (to taste), and the Bernardin Salsa Mix (you don't have to use this, I just like it! You can get it a Canadian Tire in the Canning Aisle)