Fermented Salsa
If you have a garden in the south, you’re probably already growing all of the ingredients for…. SALSA!
OMG! It’s my favorite, but I have to grow the cilantro under grow lights inside because it gets too hot for cilantro before the tomatoes and peppers are ready.
But, once all your cards are in the right order, something magical can happen. You guessed it–salsa! And fermented salsa is even better because it contains probiotics and prebiotics essential for gut health.
Fermented Salsa
Makes 1 quart
- 4 medium tomatoes, peeled, seede and diced
- 2 small onions, finely diced
- 1/4 cup diced chile pepper, hot or mild
- 1 bunch cilantro, chopped
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- juice of 2 lemons
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
- 2 Tablespoons whey (see below)
- 1/2-1 cup filtered water
Mix all ingredients except water and place in a quart-sized wide mouth canning jar. Press down lightly with a wooden pounder. Add enough water to cover the vegetables. Cover tightly and keep at room temperature for 2 days. Transfer to the refrigerator.
To Make Whey:
- Line a colander with clean cheesecloth or thin dish towel, overlapping the sides a bit.
- Dump a quart of unflavored, unsweetened yogurt containing active cultures into the cheesecloth.
- If you like, stir 1/4 teaspoon of probiotic powder into the yogurt for even greater probiotic potential.
- Gather the cloth together and tie with a long string.
- Hang the bag of yogurt so it can drip into a clean bowl and let drip for about 24 hours.
- The liquid in the bowl is whey and ready to use in your recipe. Extra whey can be stored in a covered glass jar in the fridge for 3-6 months.
- The solid yogurt in the cloth is like Greek yogurt or cream cheese, and can be enjoyed as is or in recipes.
(Recipes from the Nourishing Traditions cookbook by Sally Fallon)