from the kitchen: salsa

the wife and the boy nurtured 3 tomato plants all summer, each of which are beginning to groan with its load of lovely roma jewels. 

this is the first time the wife and i have ever attempted to harvest anything more than herbs in any garden and we are just giddy about it.

our little vegetable garden, early days

alas, 3 tomato plants do not yield quite enough to put by for the winter. especially since we've been eating them as they ripen. and they are spectacular: deliciously sweet and tasting of the sun.

it's already sublime to eat them lightly dusted with salt and pepper, a drizzle of olive oil, and some of the torn basil that grew alongside them.

but so far, our favourite way of eating our very own tomatoes have been in the form of salsa - which we've been devouring with cheese empanadas from jumbo empanadas my parents surprised us with when we saw them for a day on their layover between toronto and manila. 

this list of ingredients is purist and fresh. add and subtract amounts as you wish. if it were up to me, there would be 2 jalapenos with all the seeds in... but the wife prefers moderate heat and i really do live to make her happy.

a dozen fresh tomatoes, diced
1/2 red onion, finely diced 
2 limes, zest and juice 
1 jalapeno or serrano pepper (seeds in or out, your choice. i only put half the seeds in)
a handful fresh coriander, finely chopped
salt to taste

combine ingredients and eat with anything you can think of that this fresh salsa would enhance (like fresh nachos, your morning eggs, grilled chicken or fish, folded through quinoa. i really could go on.)

my kids, by the way, aren't fans of fresh tomatoes or of spicy food. and while i live to make them happy too - in this instance i am quite content to say, more for me!