Week #7 of our CSA finds us re-planting and re-framing.... with the hail damage last week, we have re-seeded some greens in hopes that we can quickly regain some of what is lost. Our seedlings are already up and we are watching them carefully and cheering them along.
In the re-framing department....we've taken the hail damaged green tomatoes that were scattered all around (don't worry there is still plenty good ones on the plants!) and turned it into Green Tomato Salsa (or Hail Salsa as I'm calling it!). As Florence said... if the world hands you lemons... make some lemonade! We made salsa instead!
There was enough to share with everyone, so you will all find a small sampling of Hail Salsa in your box today. I did not pressure can this (its so yummy - you need to eat right away) so please store in the fridge until you eat it.
What's in the box this week:
Carrots
Swiss Chard
Beans
Kohlrabi
Onions and Leeks
Potatoes
Cabbage
Cucumber or Zucchini
Herbs (cilantro, basil, parsley, oregano, chives)
Radishes
Kale
Jalepeno pepper
Parsnips
Beets
Hail Salsa
Thought I would include the recipe for the "Hail Salsa" I used... so you know what's in it and in the event you ever find yourself with an excess of green tomatoes.
Makes about 3 pints
Recipe may be doubled; increase cooking time by 10-15 minutes
Salsas are quite forgiving, so don't be afraid to adapt this recipe to what your end-of-the-season garden or farmers' market has to offer. Any type of tomato can be used, and you can mix and match varieties. Paste, or plum, tomatoes will require less cooking time since they're meatier and have less juice.
A touch of red on a few of the tomatoes is fine, as long as they're still very hard. Fully ripe tomatoes, though, will give your relish a completely different flavor and consistency. Partially green sweet red peppers can also be used, and you can adjust the amount of jalapeno peppers to suit your taste, or leave them out entirely.
2 lb. green tomatoes, cored and chopped
1 lb. white or yellow onions, chopped
3/4 lb. sweet red peppers, cored and chopped
1/2 lb. tart cooking apples, such as Granny Smith, cored and chopped
6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 cup 5% acidic organic raw apple cider vinegar (or less, see note below)*(I used about 50% of the recommended amount as I wasn't canning it)
1 Tablespoon kosher or sea salt
4 jalapeno peppers, cored, seeded if desired, and finely chopped
2 Tablespoons chopped cilantro
1 teaspoon ground cumin (optional)
Combine the tomatoes, onions, peppers, apples, garlic, vinegar, and salt in a large, nonreactive pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about an hour.
Stir in the jalapenos, cilantro, and cumin and simmer for 5 more minutes. Carefully purée the mixture using a stick immersion blender or in a traditional counter top blender, in batches if necessary, until still somewhat chunky. Do not overmix; you don't want it smooth.
This green tomato relish will keep in the refrigerator for several weeks.
If canning, return the puréed relish to a boil, then ladle the hot mixture into hot jars, leaving 1/4-inch head space. Process 15 minutes in a boiling water canner. Store in a cool, dark place for up to a year.
Hope you are able to "re-frame" your challenges into something tasty!
We all have them in our lives... old souls that speak wisdom in the chaos of our lives. At times they are babes in arms whose eyes speak volumes, if you only pause to listen. Or indeed many are grandmothers or grandfathers whose hands are wiser than most of us. 
