Sweet Salsa

Fall is a lovely time of the year and even though it is a sign that winter is on its way, it’s also the time when local vegetables are at their prime.  Where I grew up, September and October meant pickling, preserves, jams and jellies and this recipe is one of the ones my Mom used to make.  Mom called it Red Catsup which I believe she was given the recipe from a friend of hers who lived in rural Quebec.  When my siblings and I would come home after school, we would be assaulted with the smell of vinegar and spices brewing in her kitchen.  We would look at each other and say, ‘Mom’s making pickles!’.   
The first forms of food preserving were drying food by wind and sun, or over heat, smoking, and in some areas salting or freezing. Next, the curdling of milks, pickling, and preserving in fat were added to the ancient techniques, and then preserving in sweet syrup or alcohol. All these methods were known in pre-Christian times, and were still in use for their basic purpose in the nineteenth century; foods were stored to be eaten, usually some time later, in time of food shortages, to mark a feast or while journeying.  Canning was developed in the early part of the 19th century, in conjunction with pasteurization which developed by Louis Pasteur in 1862, they revolutionized the preservation of food.

Makes 20 (250ml) canning jars
print this recipe

20 ripe tomatoes
6 peaches
6 pears
15 sour apples
12 onions (red or white)
3 green bell peppers
3 red bell peppers
1 hot chili pepper, chopped finely
2 stalks celery, diced
1 cauliflower, cut into florets
4 cups white vinegar
3 teaspoons dry mustard
3 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons black pepper
1/2 box pickling spice
5 to 6 lbs. sugar

Wash vegetable and fruit.  Scald tomatoes, peaches and peel skins off.  Peel pears, onions, apples and cut into big pieces.  Cut bell peppers and remove seeds.  Put all vegetables and fruits in a large pot and add vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper.  Cook on low heat, 4 to 5 hours and stir often.  Place pickling spices in a cheesecloth and add to the salsa mixture.  Gently boil for 2 hours and stir often.  When vegetables are well cooked, remove spices and squeeze into a bowl then add to the salsa mixture.  Add sugar, a bit at a time, stirring and tasting and add more sugar and salt if necessary.  Boil 5 to 10 minutes and stir.  The syrup should be thick.  Remove from heat and spoon into sterile canning jars.

The Culinary Chase’s Note:  This is one of my favorite preserves!  I use it as a condiment, a dip, sauce for Mexican dishes, and as a relish.  Home made preserves are a lovely gift idea.  Click here to find out more how to can food and sterilize jars.  Enjoy!