Easier Fermented Salsa

A few years ago I picked up the book “Nourishing Traditions” from amazon.ca.  I love that book.  It’s full of wonderful recipes and stories that are incredibly informative.  I haven’t tried all of the recipes but those I have tried are wonderful.

I would love to do “Slow Food” all the time.  It would be wonderful if I could be organized enough to plan our meals, and start them, a week in advance, sometimes.  Pulling the eggs right out of the nest to cook and be eaten within 5 minutes…my dream.

The thing is…I’m kind of busy.  

I know everyone is busy and we need to find the time to do things right and soaking the oats is the best way to prepare them and it only takes a minute.  Sometimes, though, can’t we take a short cut?  Why can’t I do it the easy way?

Guess what…I can!  And I will!  And I did!  

The first time…the second and the third time, as well…when I made this recipe I used fresh tomatoes.  I scored them and blanched them and peeled them and seeded them and chopped them and put them in the bowl.  Now, if that is your thing, go ahead and do that but right now, I just can’t do all of that.  I just can’t.  My children…

I would be 10 years before I made this fermented salsa again if I had to do all of that.  But I really love fermented salsa.  I need fermented salsa!

Anyway, now I use CANNED diced tomatoes.  I know!  NOT CANNED!  Yes canned.  Find some canned diced tomatoes that are BPA free.  Check for other ingredients you don’t want in your food…other additives.  You also don't want salt or seasonings, unless you want the seasonings.  Whatever floats your boat.  Find the best canned tomatoes that you want to find.  Probably will cost less, and taste better than “fresh,” store bought tomatoes, too.

Fermented Salsa

For when we just can’t bring ourselves to peel the tomatoes

3 CANS of diced tomatoes, drained 

1 red bell pepper

1 yellow or orange bell peppers

2 green bell peppers

2-10 Jelapenio peppers, depends on how hot you want your salsa.  I use 5.

1-2 onions, diced, depends on how oniony you want it.  I use 2 onions.

1-2 limes or lemons, you want the juice.  Pick your favourite.  I use 1 lemon.

One bunch of Parsley or Cilantro, pick your favourite.  I use Parsley.

4-6 cloves of Garlic crushed then diced.  I use 5 cloves.

3 Tablespoons of Celtic Sea Salt.  Trust me.

Let the work commence.

I don’t have any lemons so I am trying it with Lemon and Lime Essential Oils.  I used 1 drop of lemon and 2 drops of lime because the second drop dripped before I could stop it.

Chop everything as small as you would like.  Use your food processor if you like your salsa smooth.  I like mine chunky, so that’s what I did.

All that chopping.

Mix it all together in a big bowl.

So pretty.

It's smelling divine!

Wait about 10 minutes and stir it again.  We are giving the salt time to dissolve so it can get mixed throughout.  It is the salt that will keep your salsa from spoiling while the good bacteria gain a foot hold and start to multiply. The salt will also draw moisture from the veggies giving them a protective, and delicious brine to hide under while fermenting.

Put everything in a large glass jar.  Push everything down and try to get the liquid brine to cover the veggies.  I then use a large Ziplock bag and place that on top of the veggies with the opening, open, and out the top of the jar.  Add water to the bag while pushing down, through the ziplock, trying to get all those veggies under the liquid and packed down a bit.  Zip up the bag with the water, push it into the jar and put a lid on it.

It's an old pickle jar.  Notice the extra liquid.  

That is from the salt doing it's thing.

Party, little microbes, Party!

Place the jar on a plate and put it in a corner on your kitchen counter.  The plate is to catch any spills that may happen from the action of fermenting.  You will want to open the jar everyday to let out some pressure.  You might want to open it in the sink.  Keep out of direct sun light.  You can place a towel over it if you'd like.  I don’t.

Check on it in three days.  You can taste it if you'd like but if it isn't done make sure you seal it up again like I wrote above.  You want to see bubbles in the salsa, through the jar.  Then you will know it’s doing it’s thing.  I usually let mine ferment for 7 days, give or take.  

Put everything into smaller jars, if you want to, and put it in the fridge.  I don’t know how long it will last in the fridge because when I have it, I eat it, with everything!  Fermented salsa goes wonderfully with eggs, nachos, pirogies, tacos...everything!

Just remember not to heat it up!  Warming a bit is okay but heat will hurt or kill any of the probiotic goodness you've got going on in there.

This is a recipe that I have adapted from “Nourishing Traditions” by Sally Fallon.


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