Canning Spicy Salsa

Yesterday was a gorgeous and warm summer day, perfect for visiting the Washington County Fair on its last day. We saw crazy crested chickens, lop-eared goats, prize-winning pumpkins and sampled lots of great maple syrup treats. Not to mention the people watching!

The highlight for me was talking to some of the farmers and young kids exhibiting their prize animals and of course, checking out the blue-ribbon preserves. I grabbed up a leaflet from a Master Gardener at the Agricultural Extension booth about canning tomatoes and was inspired to keep chipping away at my tomato harvest with some Spicy Salsa. I kicked up the heat in the recipe with a can of smoky chipotles in adobo sauce and now I have four quarts of summer gold for winter meals.

Smoky Chipotle Salsa

7 lbs. tomatoes
1 lb. hot peppers, seeded and chopped
1 lb. sweet peppers, seeded and chopped
1 lb. onions, chopped
1 (7 oz.) can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
1 cup cider vinegar
1 Tbsp. pickling salt

Bring a pot of water to boil and dip tomatoes in pot, several at a time, for 1 minute. Remove with slotted spoon and plunge into cold water. Slip off skins, core and chop coarsely.

Place all ingredients in large kettle and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

Ladle hot salsa into hot, sterilized jars and fill up, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Add lids and screw on rings to seal. Place in boiling hot water bath and process 20 minutes.

Makes 4 Quarts.

I am submitting this bold, red recipe to the "Food in Colours" food blog event sponsored by Tongue Ticklers. The featured color is RED, so this salsa fits the bill nicely. There is still time to submit a red vegetarian food entry (the deadline is August 27th) so if red is your color, check it out!