It’s April and by all signs, like the snow outside and the cold temperatures these past few days, NOT tomato season. My decision to post this blog might surprise some of you, but I received a request for a fermented salsa recipe. Honestly, besides zuké pickled things, there is no other condiment I crave more than salsa. Daily. Thanks for prodding me Aaron!

So where do you get organic tomatoes in our temperate zone this time of year? Circle Fresh Farms organic tomatoes are available at Whole Foods Markets on the front range of Colorado. Circle Fresh is a network of 10 small farms working together to grow produce locally.

This is a simple recipe, and one that has a lot of flexibility, too. It can be spicy or mild, red or green (tomatillos), garlicky or garlic-free.

Fermented Tomato Salsa
Ingredients:

• 2.5-3 lbs of tomatoes of choice
• 1-2 onions (yellow, white, or red)
  
• Fresh Cilantro to taste (I use 1/2 cup or more)
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 2-3 limes, juiced
• 2 TBSP celtic salt
• Spices to taste ( I use salt & pepper only, but cumin, oregano, or powdered chili could be added)
• Peppers (sweet or spicy…I use jalapeno but sweet peppers work well too if you don’t like spicy!)

photo by Joe Baran

Directions:

• Chop tomatoes, peppers, onion and cilantro (garlic if you decide to use it)
• Toss all ingredients into large bowl
• Add the citrus juice
  
• Add salt & pepper (other spices at this time, if you like)
  
• Pour into quart or half gallon size mason jars and cap
  
• Leave on the counter for approximately 2 days
• After fermentation is complete, store in refrigerator for up to 9 months
  

photo by Joe Baran

photo by Joe Baran

Some fermented salsa recipes include whey, but I do not use it when I ferment salsa. In our home, we enjoy salsa on just about anything. This recipe is an alternative for putting up your tomatoes in the fall, when so many are available either from our home gardens or the farmers’ markets.

The vibrant colors of the salsa makes me want to eat it immediately, but I will wait a couple of days! Buen provecho!

photo by Joe Baran

photo by Joe Baran