Recipe: Blackened Salsa (for Linda)

Blackened Salsa

8 ripe red tomatoes or 15 Italian plum tomatoes
4-6 yellow onions
4-5 green peppers
5 green jalapeno peppers (add some seeds for extra hotness)
5 yellow (hot) banana peppers (add some seeds for extra hotness)
Other types of peppers, if desired
1/2 to1 lb. of mushrooms, washed and sliced
1-2 cans tomato sauce
Ground black pepper
Chopped cilantro

Cut tomatoes, onions and peppers into thick (1/4 to 1/2 inch) slices. Place vegetables on an old cookie sheet placed over one or two burners. Blacken the vegetables over high heat, using a metal spatula to turn them. When the veggies are scorched, remove them with the spatula, cut them into small chunks, and put them into a pot. Cut up and add the mushrooms, then add enough tomato sauce to make the mixture soupy. Simmer over low heat for about an hour. You can add some black pepper and/or chopped cilantro while the salsa is simmering. Blackening will not actually make the veggies taste burnt, but will give the salsa a great smoked, barbequed flavor. It's best to just sacrifice a cookie sheet for this recipe; it can be stored in a paper bag between batches of salsa.

*Note* This method of blackening can produce a lot of smoke, so disconnect your smoke detector. (But don't forget to re-connect it afterward!)