Roasted, Raw and Fermented: Heirloom Salsa

Ah, the bounty of a Texas summer!

Heirloom Salsa

Heirloom Salsa

This homemade salsa combines the dark smokiness of roasted heirloom tomatoes, garlic, sweet onions and peppers with the fresh taste of raw tomatoes, cilantro and lime.

As good as this is, it is even better if allowed to ferment into a pro-biotic riot of Southwest flavor..

(click to enlarge)

For 1 pint

1 large heirloom tomato, quartered
1 medium Texas 1015 onion, quartered
3 cloves garlic
1-2 jalapeño peppers
1 mild red New Mexico pepper
1 teaspoon cumin seed, toasted
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon cracked pepper
1 chile chipotle (Dorado or Morita), soaked, toasted and chopped
1 small lime
2 tablespoons whey
fresh cilantro

Roast 3/4 of the tomatoes, 1/2 the onions and all of the garlic and peppers (except the chipotle) on a comal in a 500 degree oven until slightly blackened.  Allow to cool to room temperature.

Meanwhile, steep 1 dried chipotle in hot water until soft and pliable.

Split the re-hydrated chipotle open and discard the stem and seeds.  Toast the chipotle with cumin seeds until browned and fragrant, about 5 minutes.

Combine all ingredients in a glass bowl and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Eat within a day or two, or add 2 tablespoons of whey and allow to stand on the counter for 24 hours before transferring to the refrigerator for up to a few weeks.

This post is part of Food Renegade’s excellent Fight Back Fridays