I love the feeling as summer draws to a close and fall begins. The mornings are cool and foggy, the kids are back to school, and the soft afternoon light makes things seem calm and quiet. But that’s not the case for every backyard garden and farm on the Central Coast. If these food plants had an emergency alarm, those sirens would be going off right now!

This season is when the farms are bursting at the seams and the farmers’ markets are packed with every variety of summer vegetable imaginable. This abundance is the perfect moment for making salsa. I prefer to make a huge batch every year so my family can taste this incredible season all year long, but here is a quick recipe that will be perfect for the long-awaited football games and weekend picnics.

 

• 4 tomatoes cut in halves
• 4 roasted jalapeño peppers (with seeds)
• 1 purple or green bell pepper
• 1 yellow onion
• 4 cloves of garlic
• ½ cup of cilantro
• ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon of cumin
• 1 teaspoon of oregano
• Kosher salt to taste

 

1. Add all the ingredients into a food processor or chop by hand. Pour in a container, put in your fridge, and eat within a week.