Salsa Verde

Summer produce season is in full swing. For the past two weeks we've had an overflowing bowl of tomatoes and peppers on the kitchen countertop, and I can go out on the deck and harvest all the fresh basil, oregano, and chives that I need.

I've seen a few signs of pilfered produce, like a half-eaten grape tomato on the deck stairs, so the critters must be getting a bit, too. I don't mind sharing our bounty (within reason), but every morning when I go out to pick the ripe fruits I find one or two green ones laying on the ground. Something is making them fall from the vine. The fallen tomatoes have unblemished skin and they're never rotten, so I know they haven't been there long. I bring them inside and wash them, then pile them in the bowl next to their red brothers.

The green tomatoes were starting to take up too much room in the bowl; I had to come up with a use for them. They were too small to fry, so I decided to try using them in salsa. This is what I came up with (all measurements are approximate):

GREEN TOMATO SALSA

2 handfuls green cherry and grape tomatoes (about 1 cup chopped)

1/2 green pepper and 2 banana peppers (totaling about 1/2 cups chopped)

2 moderately-hot or hot peppers--I used Fresnos (approximately 1/4 cup chopped)

1/4 cup chopped onion

1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon salt (to taste)

1/3 cup vinegar (I used red wine)

1 clove garlic, minced

Water (optional)

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and stir frequently over high heat until mixture begins to boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Use a fork to mash any big chunks of tomato. Add water as needed if salsa is dry.

Transfer mixture to container with a lid. Refrigerate overnight to let flavors blend

As part of the kitchen cleanup I took some scraps out to the compost bin and found yet another small green tomato laying on the ground. I brought it in and started a new pile...