Effie Smith’s Tomato Salsa

Makes 10 cups 

This is a very old recipe, made the old-fashioned way. Tomato peelings were used and it was thickened with cornstarch. We have never had a problem with this recipe spoiling in all the times we've made it so we're not changing a thing. 

When we lived in our first apartment when we moved to Nova Scotia, a lovely lady named Thelma gave us a bottle of the divine Salsa. Not long after that, I dropped by her apartment, not to get more Salsa, but to get the recipe! She told me she'd been making it for years and the recipe came from an old friend of hers named Effie Smith. Dave and I have been making this Salsa ever since. Probably for 5 years now, at least. It is just right for our liking and it can easily be upped in heat for those of you who like more heat and lowered in heat for those of you who like less! With 1 teaspoon of cayenne powder, it makes it a medium Salsa. Also, we chop our veggies small but you can chop them whatever size you prefer. Plum tomatoes are the best for this Salsa as they're less juicy and are meatier. Enjoy! 

Ingredients: 

- 5 cups medium, ripe tomatoes (4 lbs), chopped. Do not peel or seed them. 

- 1 large onion, chopped

- 2 large green peppers, chopped 

- 2-3 large cloves of garlic, finely chopped (We use 4-5 cloves!)

- 1 – 5 and 1/2 oz can tomato paste (156 ml)

- 3/4 cup white vinegar (187 ml)

- 1/4 cup brown sugar (60 ml)

- 1 Tablespoon pickling salt (coarse salt)

- 2 teaspoons paprika

- 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (We use 1 teaspoon)

Mix all ingredients in a large stock pot. Bring to a boil and lower heat to simmer (uncovered) for one hour. 

If too thin, add 1 teaspoon cornstarch. (We use 2 teaspoons cornstarch mixed with 2 teaspoons cold water and add to the simmering salsa).

Ladled into sterilized bottles, place lids and rings on and turn to finger-tight. Not too tight. 

Process for 15 minutes. I use a steamer canner. 

When the processing is finished, carefully transfer bottles onto a dish towel on the kitchen counter. Makes sure you hear the "ping" of each bottle sealing. If, after about 10 minutes, there are one or two that have not sealed, reprocess for another 5 or so minutes. 

Let bottles cool on the counter for 24 hrs. 

Enjoy!!