Salsa Verde

"Waste not, want not."

I am certain that phrase can originally be credited to a farmer. [Don't spoil my illusion by googling it.] I simply know that there are times when a gardener has enough tomatoes, hot peppers, onions and such to overwhelm the most savvy of all fresh-food connoisseurs. To be honest, there are also some days when the harvest is plentiful and the workers are few that the thought of blanching just one more vegetable and packing it into the freezer may actually cause mental duress.

I am grateful though. Absolutely grateful. 

The harvest has been abundant enough to share. Although it seems there is either not enough rain or far too much (as evidenced by the beautiful, non-edible mushrooms growing in my pots!)...

and because of the extreme wetness and the cramped quarters on my patio, some of my plants haven't fared well. Spending two plus hours in the hot, sticky sun today pulling up old plants, amending soil for planting new ones and pruning the non-productive tomato, cucumber and lima bean vines was I felt, enough of an accomplishment for the day.

A quick walk through the kitchen verified that my work was not done.

What to you do with tomatoes that won't ripen or were knocked off the vine during your pruning endeavors? You make salsa verde of course!

I don't have an actual recipe. I am certain there are plenty available with a quick internet search. I just tossed in the same things I would to make my yummy fresh salsa:

• tomatoes
• hot pepper
•  a little lime juice
• one minced garlic clove
• some chopped onion
• a little sea salt

No measurements, just yummy goodness. 

But, this salsa must be cooked. So it all went into a pot, I put the lid on, turned it onto medium heat, and stirred it every few minutes. Once it cooked down and everything was softened, I turned off the heat, took off the lid and threw in some chopped cilantro. [Don't miss the cilantro!]

Taste it. Does it need more salt, garlic, lime juice or cilantro? No problem. Just add a little more.

The unpredictability of a garden explosion with one vegetable and an absolute dearth of another, warrants some creativity each year. Almost two decades ago, Dale bought a book for me that has been priceless for this very reason.

Marian K. Townes' A Midwest Gardener's Cookbook  provides multiple recipes listed first by season of harvest and then by specific midwestern grown vegetables. Have more eggplants than you could ever use or give away? Just look under summer and alphabetically you'll find several uses for your bountiful harvest. [I know you can now do the same thing on Pinterest. I still like my book though.]

Whatever the answer...eating as much as you can, sharing the wealth, giving it to a food bank, utilizing the ingredients of creative recipes, freezing, canning or dehydrating...it all makes for a very busy gardening season.

**Question to self: Did I really mean it when I said I wanted to garden year round?**