Lacto-Fermented Roasted Tomato Salsa

I've been wanting to try out a lacto-fermented salsa recipe for awhile now. With the first week of the Preserving Summer's Bounty Challenge focused on fermentation and last week's tomato festival at the farmers' market ($10 for a half-bushel of Roma tomatoes!), I figured this was the perfect time to try it out. I had come across a recipe for a roasted tomato lacto-fermented salsa on Cooking God's Way awhile back, so I dug it out and gave it a go on Friday. This takes some time to roast the veggies and let them cool, but then it comes together pretty quickly. It tastes amazing, too! We tried it last night. I think I'll be making at least a few more quarts of this after I get some more roma tomatoes this week. This first quart certainly isn't going to last long!

Lacto-fermented Roasted-Tomato Salsa

2 pounds Roma tomatoes (about 8 to 10), sliced in half length-wise
4 large cloves garlic (do not peel)
1 medium onion (yellow or red), sliced into thick rings but not separated
2 jalapeno peppers, left whole (I just used 1)
1 small bunch cilantro, or to taste
2 Tablespoons lemon or lime juice
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon mexican oregano
pinch ground cayenne pepper, or more to taste
1 Tablespoon unrefined sea salt
4 Tablespoons whey

Preheat broiler to 500F. Have ready a large heavy-duty baking sheet. Gently smash cloves of garlic with the back of a spoon or drinking glass, leave skins on. Place tomato halves on baking sheet (cut side up), along with the sliced onion, garlic cloves, and jalapeno peppers. Place baking sheet in oven, directly under broiler, checking on them every 5 minutes. Turn as needed, when tops are browned and/or bubbly. Brown both sides, removing any pieces as necessary when they are finished.


Place broiled peppers into a plastic zip-top bag and seal. Allow to steam for 5 minutes. When done steaming; peel off the skin and remove stem, seeds, and membrane. Meanwhile mince all the vegetables (be sure to peel garlic first) to desired size

NOTE: If you have a food processor, mincing the vegetables is very easy and quick to do. Just pulse all ingredients, individually in the food processor. It is important NOT to mince them all at once, or you will end up with half the ingredients turned into a puree before the other half gets to the size you want.

As you mince each ingredient (tomatoes, garlic, onion, peppers, cilantro) add it to a medium mixing bowl. When everything is minced and added to the bowl, add the lemon (or lime) juice, cumin, and oregano; stir gently to combine. Stir in the whey and sea salt. Taste and add ground cayenne pepper as desired.

Pour salsa mixture into a quart-sized mason jar, screw-on lid with metal band. OR Use a quart-sized Fermented Vegetable Master, they work wonders and really make all your fermented veggies taste better. (Always remember to leave 1-inch of space from the top of the jar to allow for expansion.)

Leave at room-temperature for 2 days before transferring to cold storage.

Makes 1-quart.

Fresh Vegetable Salsa

I've made a few different types of salsa over the last couple of years... zesty salsa, zucchini salsa, and pineapple-peach salsa. All three have been pretty good, but I'm still looking for an even better recipe that we just love. So I figured I'd try a new one this time. I found one in my Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving. It tasted really good as I was filling the jars and its nice and thick... just how we love it! We'll see how it is after processing in a few weeks. I made this very mild because I've been having problems with spicy foods and my gall bladder. I made 3 pints and 5 half-pints from this recipe. The book says you should get 8 half-pints or 5 pints from this.

Fresh Vegetable Salsa

7 cups chopped, cored, peeled tomatoes
2 cups coarsely chopped onion
1 cup coarsely chopped bell pepper
8 jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely chopped (I left these out and just added some more bell pepper)
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 can tomato paste
3/4 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup loosely packed, finely chopped cilantro
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

In a large stainless steel saucepan, combine all ingredients. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly.

Reduce heat and boil gently, stirring frequently, until thickened, about 30 minutes.

Ladle hot salsa into hot jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Wipe rims, put lids and screw bands on jars, and place in canner filled with water. Make sure jars are completely covered by water. Bring to a boil and process half-pints and pints for 20 minutes. Then remove canner lid, wait 5 minutes, and remove jars to cool for 24 hours.

Spinach and Sun-Dried Tomato Risotto

My friend, Kati, discovered she has celiac disease about 6+ months ago. Ever since, she's been living the gluten free life and is feeling amazingly different and better. She has started a website featuring lots of delicious recipes that are all gluten free. These are all family recipes or just recipes that have become favorites of hers and Ben's that are either naturally gluten free or that she has converted to being gluten free. She just started the site at the end of March, so it is growing every week or so. Check it out - even if you don't need to eat gluten free! She's the Gluten Free Girlie.

As I've mentioned, I've been trying to clean out some things from the pantry, fridge, and freezer for the last few weeks. When I came across this recipe for spinach and sun-dried tomato risotto on Kati's site, I knew we had to try it. Not only did it sound delicious, but I had some organic arborio rice, sun-dried tomatoes, and spinach that I needed to find some uses for. So I made it for dinner this week and it was absolutely delicious! After every bite, Carson declared it "deeee-wishous!" He loved it! I loved it! Kevin loved it! A definite keeper!

I'll update with a picture later on.

Spinach and Sun-Dried Tomato Risotto

3 Tablespoons olive oil
4 cups spinach
1 onion, chopped
1 1/2 cups risotto rice
4 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
2 teaspoons basil, fresh and minced or dried flakes
1/2 cup grated asiago or parmesan cheese
1/2 cup part skim ricotta cheese
Salt
Pepper

In a food processor, finely chop spinach with 1 tablespoon of oil. (I also added the tomatoes)

In a frying pan or wok, heat the oil and sautée the onion until transparent. Add the rice, stirring until the rice is a little transparent. Add the tomatoes. (I actually kept my tomatoes out and chopped them up in the food processor with the spinach.) Pour in the stock, 1/2 cup at time, continuously stirring. Do not add more stock until the rice absorbs the already added stock. After about 30 minutes the rice should be creamy.

Turn off the heat and stir in the spinach, ricotta, basil and cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste. Let stand for 3-4 minutes before serving.