Hotsy Totsy Canned Salsa

This also passes as a lightly seasoned tomato sauce - a good start for any pasta sauce you're trying to concoct. To keep this salsa safe for canning by the boiling-water canner method, do not increase quantities of chiles, onions, fresh cilantro or garlic, or decrease the amount of tomatoes. You can, however, increase the cumin powder, Tabasco sauce, salt, dried oregano or vinegar.

Yield: 5 half pints

Ingredients

• 5 cups peeled and finely chopped tomatoes*
• 1 cup finely chopped mild green chiles** (about 4 medium Anaheim chiles)
• 1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onion
• 1/2 cup finely chopped green onion
• 1/3 cup seeded and minced fresh jalapeño chiles**
• 1/2 cup white vinegar (5 percent acidity)
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 2 to 3 teaspoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons cumin powder
• 1 teaspoon Tabasco or other hot pepper sauce
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves

Instructions

1. Wash 5 half pint jars; keep hot.
2. Prepare lids as manufacturer directs.
3. In a large pot place tomatoes, green chiles, onion, green onions, jalapeño chiles, vinegar, garlic, cilantro, salt, cumin, hot sauce and oregano. Bring the mixture to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes.
4. Ladle hot salsa into 1 hot jar at a time, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Wipe jar rim with a clean, damp cloth. Attach lid. Fill and close remaining jars.
5. Process in a boiling-water canner 15 minutes (from 1,000 to 6,000 feet, process 20 minutes; above 6,000 feet, process 25 minutes).

Notes

* To peel tomatoes, plunge into boiling water for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Remove immediately and plunge into cold water. Skin should slip off easily.

** Wear gloves when handling fresh chiles as the oils can cause a burning sensation on your skin.