Added: 05/23/2006 |
Salsa -- Too Much of a Good Thing can be BadIf you are tired of tasteless food snacks or raw vegetables, and want something hot, Salsa is the very thing you need! This traditional extremely spicy, fiery Mexican dish has its fans all over the world. Indeed, salsa is the spirit of Latin America - passionate and unexpected. The recipe of salsa is easy - combine tomatoes, chili, spice in a large saucepan and stir frequently over high heat until mixture begins to boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Pour the hot salsa into pint jars, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Adjust lids and process in a boiling water canner 15 minutes at 0-1,000 feet altitude; 20 minutes at 1,001-6,000 feet; 25 minutes above 6,000 feet.
The type of tomato you use often affects the quality of your salsa. Paste tomatoes have firmer flesh and produce thicker salsa than large slicing tomatoes. Although both types make good salsas, slicing tomatoes usually yield a thinner, more watery salsa than paste tomatoes. It is better to use only high quality tomatoes for canning salsa or any other tomato product, as poor quality or overripe tomatoes will yield a very poor salsa and may spoil all your work.
Many salsa recipes call for peeled or skinned tomatoes, but do not explain how to do it correctly. And this is rather easy - remove the skin by dipping tomatoes into boiling water for 30-60 seconds or until skins split. Then dip salsa tomatoes in cold water, then slip off skins and remove cores and seeds. You may substitute green tomatoes or tomatillos for tomatoes for making salsa.
As for salsa chiles, they range from mild to fiery in taste and the latter are usually small (1 to 3 inches long); mild chiles (Anaheim, Ancho, New Mexico 6-4, Big Jim, Chimayo) are usually bigger (4 to 10 inches long). According to the salsa recipe, you can choose it, but small, very hot chiles (Jalapeno being the most popular) provide a distinct taste to a salsa. But be careful with your skin, while cooking chiles - they cause a strong irritation of it. Do not touch your face, particularly the area around your eyes, when you are working with hot chiles.
Do not increase the total amount of chiles in any recipe. However, you may substitute one type of chile for another.
Spices add flavoring to salsas. Cilantro and cumin are often used in spicy salsas. You may leave them out if you prefer a salsa with a milder taste. For a stronger cilantro flavor, add fresh cilantro just before serving the salsa.
Well, it is very necessary to be very careful with salsas, and other Mexican food. The thing is, that most salsa recipes contain a mixture of low-acid foods, such as onions and chilies. Acid, such as vinegar or lemon juice must be added to prevent the bacteria, Clostridium botulinum, from growing. This bacteria produces a deadly toxin that can cause serious damage to the central nervous system or death when eaten in even small amounts.
Guacamole is another ingredient to use when making salsa. You can make guacamole salsa that is either spicy hot or mild. It really depends on your taste buds!
At least this salsa recipe has been tested to ensure that they contain enough acid to be processed safely in a boiling water canner. Therefore, you cannot be afraid to have a nervous attack or at least problems with digestion and get only pleasure both from preparing salsa for your family and from eating it.
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