Recipe: Freezer Tomato Salsa

FREEZER TOMATO SALSA

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 1/2 stalks celery, minced
2 tablespoons Serrano chiles, seeded and chopped (wear rubber gloves)
1 clove garlic
4 medium tomatoes, seeded and quartered
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 teaspoon mild honey
1 teaspoon chopped fresh basil (1/2 teaspoon dried)
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon chili powder

Heat oil in a heavy skillet. Add the onion, celery, chiles and garlic. Saute for 5 minutes or until soft.

Add tomatoes, cilantro, lime juice, honey, basil, cumin and chili powder. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat. Simmer 15 minutes (fish out tomato skins as mixture cools).

Ladle into two 1-cup freezer containers and let cool. Cover and chill overnight in the refrigerator.

Label the containers; freeze for up to 3 months.

To use, thaw in refrigerator. The salsa will be thin but delicious.

Makes 2 cups
From: The Big Book of Preserving the Harvest by Carol W. Costenbader
Source: Patrice Stewart, The Decatur Daily (AL), September 7, 2005