Plant The Salsa Garden - Big Big Forums

Jolie Rouge · 03-26-2004, 01:38 AM

Part 1: Plant a Pot Of Salsa

With the arrival of spring any of us in possession of a patch of dirt are of course thinking of our gardens and what horticultural magnificence we are going to create this year. For those of you with a love of Mexican food, why not dedicate at least some of your garden space to the production some of the basic Mexican vegetables. With few exceptions those vegetables won’t be all that much different from what you grow already.

Of course you probably won’t be able to grow an avocado tree or yucca, pineapple, or mangos. The standards are however, well within the climates and gardening skills of most of us.

A good place to start with the things necessary for making a great batch of salsa fresca After all, a salsa is only as good as its tomatoes and chilies and they are always better fresh out of the garden. Now, those of you in far northern climes or who’s available garden space is shaded, may have to do a bit of coaxing. After all, almost all of the vegetables used in a great salsa are heat loving sun worshippers.

To get started with a garden that will provide you with wonderful fresh salsa I would suggest you consider planting the following:

celery
cilantro
chilies and peppers of varying heats
dill
epazote
garlic
green onions
lemons and limes
onions
Mexican oregano
parsley
tomatoes
tomatillos

[b]Part 2: The Ingredients

More of this Feature
• Part 1: Plant a Pot Of Salsa
• Part 3: More Ingredients
• Part 4: Recipes

Celery

Although celery is called for in many salsa recipes, it is very difficult for the home gardener to grow properly, so I’ll never tell if you want to sneak some store bought celery into your wonderful home grown salsa. If however, you have a particularly green thumb and are willing to give celery the nurturing it requires, then by all means go for it.

Chilies and Peppers of varying heats

Chilies and Peppers, like tomatoes are far easier to grow from bedding plants than from seeds. This is unfortunate because the selection of bedding plants is usually fairly limited while there is a huge wonderful world of chili and pepper seeds leering at you from the voluptuously alluring pages of seed catalogues. If you are a novice I suggest you set your sites a little lower and stick with the bedding plants available in your local nursery.

If on the other hand, you have a pretty well developed green thumb, then go for the gusto, get your seed catalogues, peruse, fantasize and make a mighty selection of various chili and pepper types. In most climates you will need to start your seeds indoors and then transplant them into the garden when they are 3 to 4 inches tall. Follow the instructions on the seed packet.

And yes, I often put sweet peppers as well as hot chilies in my salsas. Nothing can replace the rich flavor of a beautiful ripened red pepper. I often use yellow and orange peppers for the variety of colors.

I strongly suggest that you label your chili and pepper plants to that at harvest time you won’t have to play Russian roulette, trying to decide which were which.

Cilantro

Cilantro is an annual herb and is essential to salsa making. Some people really do not like it and if that is the case, then by all means don’t put it in your salsa, however it is considered as essential to a good salsa as are the tomatoes, chilies and onions. Cilantro is the same plant as coriander. Cilantro being the green leaves and coriander being the seeds. It is an annual plant and must be replanted each year.

Cilantro bolts and goes to seed easily so it is a good thing to make successive plantings, so that you will have a continuing supply throughout the growing season. I usually make plantings about every 2 weeks. The growing season will of course vary from region to region. I fortunately am able to have fresh cilantro from May through October in most years.

At the prices charged by garden seed producers you could easily go broke planting a lot of cilantro. I suggest that you go to a health food store and buy an ounce or so of coriander seeds. I have been doing this for both cilantro and dill weed for years and years with good results.

When your first planting of coriander start to come up, do not be afraid to begin using it while it is still small. I begin harvesting it with a pair of sharp kitchen sheers when it is only about 4 inches tall.

Besides salsas, try using your beautiful fresh coriander in salads, with fish, eggs, rice and many other Mexican and non Mexican dishes.

Dill

No, dill is not a traditional addition to most salsas, however I love it and add it to many of mine. Dill, like cilantro is an annual herb, needing to be replanted each year. Like cilantro, I have been buying my seeds at a health food store for years. I plant bushels of dill because I use it on just about everything. Again, just like for cilantro, make successive plantings and begin using it when it is still quite small because it also tends to bolt before it is fully mature.

Epazote

Epazote is a uniquely Mexican herb. Raw it has all the charm and grace of a very bad vintage of turpentine. In cooked dishes however, it is delightful and is one of the things that gives Mexican food that distinctive Mexican flavor. It is frequently cooked with beans since it is supposed to help remove the gas from them.

Epazote in a perennial, although even in my gentle California climate, it dies down each late autumn and comes back each spring. It is not the most attractive of plants, producing long sprawling, leggy branches. I advise you to put it in a part of the garden where this will not be a problem. It grown rapidly and even stating with a small bedding plant it will reach a good three feet in one season. You may use it fresh or gather the branches and dry it for use during the winter.

At the end of the season you will need to cut back all the old dead wood. I cut it right down to about a six inch stump, and it always comes back hale and hardy each spring.

Garlic

I don’t see how anyone can cook any food of any culture without lots and lots of garlic on hand. Home grown garlic has a delightful sweet and nutlike quality that is often missing from commercial garlic. The other advantage of growing your own is that you can harvest it with the tops on and make it into beautiful braids to hang in your kitchen.

Garlic is very easy to grow if you have the right soil. It needs loose, loamy soil in order for the bulbs to developed and grow to any significant size. If your soil is heavy, you will either need to greatly amend it with organic material or get your garlic at the market.

You can get garlic starts at any nursery or from any seed catalogue, however, for years, I have just been planting the garlic that I buy at the store. I started doing this when I had a bunch of garlic that had developed little green sprouts and I chucked it onto my compost heap. It rooted itself, grew and produced beautiful garlic and so I have been buying store bought heads of garlic, breaking them apart into cloves and planting them ever since. I plant my shallots the same way. You do not harvest your garlic until the tops have begun to dye back and dry.

Jolie Rouge · 03-26-2004, 01:41 AM

Part 3: More Ingredients

Green Onions

A wonderful on going supply of green onions is one of my gardening delights. I never was able to grow green onions successfully until a friend in England showed me that instead of trying to start seeds, or buying bedding starts, he, whenever he bought green onions at the market, but off the rood end with about 1/2 inch of the white part of the onion, planted it and in six weeks he had a new green onion. I have been doing that ever since and I have had a constant supply of beautiful, fresh green onions for the past twenty-five years.

If you don’t get around to using all of your green onions while they are still young and tender, let them stay in the garden until they develop their beautiful flower heads and go to seed. Carefully gather the heads, putting them into a bag to transport. When you get them in the kitchen, shake the heads inside the bag to loosen the seeds. Save these to use as a seasoning. They are excellent ground or whole. The dry flower heads are very nice in dried bouquets.

Lemons and Limes

Lemons and limes are essential to a good salsa and a constant supply of beautiful fresh ones is a wonderful thing. Unfortunately, they don’t like a lot of climates. Check with your local nursery or county farm agent to see if they will grow in your aria. If you can grow them in your aria you must be very careful about the type that you buy. There are a lot of "oddities" on the market that are charming in the garden but not much use in the kitchen. For my money the only lemon to plant for kitchen use is a "Eureka," This is the classic, bright yellow, lemon shaped, lemony tasting lemon that is perfect for lemon pies, lemon aid and all other culinary uses. If you want your lime for culinary purposes make sure you get a "Bartenders lime." Again, that is the classic green lime that is used in drinks and for culinary applications.

Citrus trees can take a lot of space so check with the nursery to see how big the tree you intend to buy will get. There are dwarf varieties available now.

Onions

Growing your own onions is relatively easy, however, like with garlic, you need a loamy soil in order for the bulbs to develop properly. You can grow them from seeds, small bedding onions or from already sprouted onion sets. I have never had any luck with seeds. The little bedding onion bulbs and the already sprouted sets have both produced excellent crops of onions. Also like garlic, you harvest them when the tops begin to dye back and dry.

Mexican Oregano

Why Mexican oregano? Oregano is oregano is oregano, isn’t it? Well, no. Mediterranean or Greek oregano tastes like pizza. Mexican oregano tastes like Mexican food. You may have to do a bit of hunting to find a true Mexican oregano plant. It is a perennial plant that stays in leaf all year in mile climates. In harsher climates it will dye back and come back the following spring. You can use it fresh all growing season and then harvest sprigs and dry it for winter use. In good conditions it will reach about 2 feet tall by 3 feet wide.

Parsley

Parsley may go into any Mexican dish that cilantro goes into. Its flavor is completely different from cilantro and I like to use them together. I often put parsley in my salsa, as well as cilantro. It is also an annual and must be planted new each spring. There are several varieties and I like to plant both the curly and the broad leafed. It doesn’t bolt quite as readily as cilantro and dill.

Tomatillos

Tomatillos are a wonderful addition to the garden of any cook, not just the Mexican cook. They are absolutely essential for Salsa Verde and many other Mexican dishes. You may have a hard time finding bedding plants for them, however they do grow relatively easily from seeds. Check in seed catalogues. There are several varieties. The standard green one that is used in Mexican cooking is readily available, however there is a purple variety that, when left on the vine until it becomes a deep purple is sweet and can be eaten like fruit. It also makes a good jam.

Tomatoes

I suggest buying bedding plants instead of trying to start tomatoes from seeds, which can be tedious and trying process. When selecting bedding plants of any type I much prefer to buy the six packs of small plants rather than the larger 3 or 4 inch pots with a single plant. First, you pay so much more for the larger plants and second, the larger the plant, the more shock and set back it suffers during transplanting. In my experience, the smaller plants in the six packs have caught up with the larger ones within a month of planting them. Most nurseries and other plant sources offer a selection of tomato varieties. Select varieties that are specialized for your particular gardening zone.

To stake or not to stake: If you have a large garden and will be planting numerous plants, then you may not want to go to the trouble of staking. Tomatoes will develop nicely on unstaked vines, but the sprawling plants take up a lot of space. For smaller gardens, staking is advisable. Not only do the plants take up less space, but the developing fruit are able to get more sun. The less heat you have the more important it is to stake as well. You can use any substantial 3 to 4 foot tall stake or pole for staking, however there are several styles of "tomato cages" available on the market. You can also make cylinders of chicken wire, place them over your plants and secure them to the ground drivable with stakes.

Now, something to heed; despite common belief to the contrary, deer do indeed eat tomatoes. I know, I know, tomatoes are a Nightshade and the leaves are poisonous. Well evidently not to deer. My tomatoes along with the roses are the very first things that the deer go for.

If you live where deer are a problem, you will need to protect your plants. If you don’t have adequate fencing (I have seen a deer clear an 8" fence) an aggressive dog that stays out all night is the next best thing. There are all sorts of theories floating around about ways to keep deer out of your garden. Some of these do work if you live where the woods and surrounding countryside stay green all year. The deer aren’t particularly hungry, they are just strolling down to see if there is something particularly tasty in your garden. They won’t risk what they perceive to be a hazard just for a tidbit.

If however, you live in the desert or in a Mediterranean climate, like here where I live in Sonoma county, California, the hills are dry from mid spring until around October, there is nothing up there for the deer to eat and they are hungry. They will indeed risk small inconveniences to get at your garden.

When dealing with my very aggressive deer the following do not work: human, mountain lion or other predators' urine, hanging highly scented soap in the garden, putting human hair around, blood meal and bone meal. These things all have been known to work in areas with less aggressive deer.

Jolie Rouge · 03-26-2004, 01:49 AM

Recipes ....

Salsa Verde

2 Anaheim or long roasting chilies
1 or more small hot green chilies of choice
10 to 12 tomatillos

3 tablespoons olive oil
2 large yellow onions, diced
10 to 12 cloves of garlic
2 stalks of celery, chopped small
3 to 4 green onions, chopped small, including the greens
1 large green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

2 tablespoons sugar
juice 6 limes, (about 1/2 cup)
4 cups chicken stock, broth or bouillon
salt and fresh coarse ground black pepper to taste

Roast the chilies and tomatillos in the oven until the skins are blistered. Rub off the skins of the chilies under cold running water and remove the seeds. Chop the peppers and the tomatillos and set aside. Heat the olive oil in a large heavy skillet and gently saute the onion, garlic, celery and bell pepper until soft and just beginning to brown around the edges. Add the chilies and tomatillos, oregano, cumin and cilantro. Gently saute for another 2 or 3 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients, stir and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and continue cooking until it had reduced to a thick sauce, stirring periodically to prevent scorching. The salsa may be used in this "crude" form or you may process it in the blender of food processor if a smoother texture is desired.

This is excellent for use in chicken enchiladas, and some seafood dishes. Great with grilled vegetable tacos and burritos, or just as a dip or a topping for bean and rice dishes.

We make the following salsa only medium hot. It is an excellent basic salsa that may be used in all sorts of ways. The recipe makes a lot and we use a lot of it. We use it as a dip, we top all sorts of foods with it, put it in burritos, serve it on beans and rice, it is a standard condiment in our home.

Basic Kitchen Sink Salsa Fresca - California
makes about 2 quarts

6 to 8 large tomatoes, chopped small
2 large yellow onions, chopped small
4 to 6 green onions, chopped small, including the tops
8 to 10 cloves of garlic, finely minced
1 large red ripe bell pepper, seeded and chopped small
1 large golden bell pepper, seeded and chopped small
2 Anaheim or Pablano peppers, seeded and chopped small
3 to 4 small hot chilies of choice, (or to taste) seeded and finely minced
1 stalk of celery, chopped very small
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill weed
1 tablespoon finely minced fresh Mexican oregano
1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon fresh coarse ground black pepper
the juice of 3 to 4 limes
salt to taste

Mix all together well and store in a covered container in the refrigerator. This will keep for at least 2 weeks.

The following salsa is another recipe that my Father learned from San Joaquin Valley farm workers during the 1930’s. It is hot, Hot and HOTTER!

San Joaquin Salsa Crudo - California
makes about a quart

4 large ripe tomatoes, chopped
2 yellow onions, chopped
6 to 8 jalapeno or other hot chilies, seeded and minced very small
10 cloves of garlic, minced very small
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon chopped fresh Mexican oregano or 1/2 teaspoon dry
1/2 teaspoon powdered cumin
1 cup tomato ketchup (yep, you heard me, tomato ketchup)
Juice and zest of one lemon
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Mix all together well and let sit in the refrigerator over night before using. This is a HOT salsa.

Salsa Rojo - Guanajuato
makes about 2 cups

5 dried Ancho chilies, cleaned of seeds and soaked in 1 cup boiling water
1 dried Pequin chili, crumbled
3 large tomatoes, chopped
1 coarsely chopped onion
6 cloves of garlic, minced
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3 tablespoons of sugar
juice of 2 limes
1/2 teaspoon fresh coarse ground black pepper
salt to taste

Drain the soaked Ancho chilies. Put all ingredients in the jar of a blender and whir until smooth. If it appears lumpy, run through a sieve. Put on the stove in a heavy pot and add 1/2 cup of the water the chilies were soaked in. Whisk over high heat until the mixture comes to a boil. Reduce heat immediately and continue whisking periodically for about 10 minutes or until it is thick. Keep refrigerated. This salsa is excellent with grilled meat.

Salsa Son-of-a-Gun

1 large yellow onion, chopped small
3 green onions, chopped small
6 to 8 cloves of garlic, finely minced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped small
2 Anaheim chilies, seeded and chopped small
4 Jalapeño chilies, seeded and minced
4 Serrano chilies, seeded and minced
2 Habanero chilis, seeded and minced
3 tomatoes, chopped
3 tomatoes, puréed in a blender or food processor
4 tomatillos, chopped small
½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
¼ cup fresh squeezed lime juice, or to taste
3 tablespoons of sugar, or to taste
salt and fresh coarse ground black pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients together and refrigerate for several hours before using. This fresh salsa will last refrigerated for at least a week.

When working with hot chilies it is a good idea to wash your hands with vinegar or lemon juice to neutralize the heat. Then wash with soap and water. Wipe your cutting board and knife and other tools with lemon juice or vinegar as well.

Vegetarian or Vegan Tamale Filling

2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil
2 large yellow onions, chopped small
8 to 10 cloves of garlic, minced
2 stalks of celery, chopped small
1 large red bell pepper, chopped small
2 Anaheim chilies, seeded and chopped small
2 small hot chilies, seeded and minced
2 tablespoons chili seasoning
2 tablespoons Menudo seasoning
2 cups of mashed pre cooked pinto beans
4 tomatoes, chopped
vegetarian stock, broth or bouillon
2 cups of fresh or frozen corn kernels
1 cup pre cooked rice
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
salt and fresh coarse ground black pepper to taste

1 cup grated Cheddar type cheese (optional)
1 cup grated Mozzarella type cheese (optional)

Heat the oil in a large heavy skillet and sauté the onions and garlic until they are just beginning to brown. Add the celery, pepper and chilies and continue to sauté until they are softish and just beginning to brown. Add the seasonings and mix. Add the mashed beans and stir. Then add the tomatoes and enough stock, broth or bouillon to stand about 1 inch deep over the top of the other ingredients. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a rapid simmer, and stirring occasionally simmer until the liquid has been absorbed. Stir in the corn, rice and cilantro. Season to taste with salt and pepper. If you are going to add cheese, allow the mixture to cool before stirring it in. This may be used to make your tamales now, or refrigerated or frozen for later use.

I strongly suggest that non vegetarians give this a try as well. It is a delectable mixture.

More recipes ... http://southernfood.about.com/librar...4/bl40212k.htm

jlong1 · 04-05-2004, 11:11 AM

I live in an apartment and have my "mini" garden on the porch. My tomato plants do great-except the birds eat them the minute they start turning. Any ideas on how to keep them away?
Thanks

Jolie Rouge · 04-05-2004, 05:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jlong1

I live in an apartment and have my "mini" garden on the porch. My tomato plants do great-except the birds eat them the minute they start turning. Any ideas on how to keep them away?
Thanks

I put little red balls ( pompoms or small christmas ornaments work well ) as soon as the plants start to flower. The birds will peck these and after finding them inedible become conditioned to the idea that the "fruit" on that plant isn't worth the trouble !

Unfortunately, it means they wont' be coming in to dine on the caterpillars that also like to eat your tomatoes
( plant and all ! ) so you have to be viligant ! Hope it helps ...

jlong1 · 04-05-2004, 09:14 PM

Thanks! I will try that!!!!