Lacto-Fermented Salsa

This recipe for lacto-fermented salsa is from the book Nourishing Traditions

by Sally Fallon.  It makes one quart of salsa, which must be refrigerated, not canned.  Here are the ingredients you will need:

• 4 medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and diced
• 2 small onions, finely chopped 
• 3/4 cup chopped chile pepper 
• 6 - 8 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped (optional)
• 1 bunch cilantro, chopped
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• juice of two lemons
• 1 tablespoon sea salt
• 4 tablespoons whey (if not available, use an additional 1 tablespoon salt)
• 1/4 cup filtered water

 To peel the tomatoes, use a slotted spoon to place them gently into a pan of boiling water and watch for the skins to split.  This only takes from 15 to 45 seconds, depending on the size of the tomatoes.

                                                              Then lift them out of the pan and place them in a colander set over a large bowl to catch the draining water.  Allow them to cool while you chop the other ingredients. Then peel and seed tomatoes and cut into small chunks.

Someday I'll tell you the story about the smart-ass earthcookie who read the admonition to wear rubber gloves when chopping hot peppers

and thought that was only for sissies.

See those rubber gloves?  When you chop hot peppers,

WEAR YOUR RUBBER GLOVES. 

Mix all your ingredients together in a large bowl and ladle into wide mouth quart canning jar.  Press down gently with a wooden pounder or a meat hammer, adding more water if necessary to cover the vegetables.

The top of the vegetables should be at least 1 inch below the top of the jar.  Cover tightly and keep at room temperature for about 2 days before transferring to the refrigerator.

I didn't have a wooden pounder or a meat hammer so I used a narrow vase to do my vegetable pressing.

For the next two days we kept tasting the salsa to see if it was ready.  It was fantastic.  After two days only this much was left.  It was still pretty salty but we put it in the fridge at this point.

 Happily we have plenty more tomatoes and peppers etc, so we'll be starting another jar tomorrow...