Exotic Canning Recipes

Salsa Verde

As if pica de gallo weren't enough, Belle found yet another great way to use our bountiful harvest of tomatillos.  She canned 4 pints of this amazing salsa verde, and served chicken enchiladas verde last night for dinner. Oh my gosh! My nephew Samuel (pronounced Samwell) comes from a family where authentic Mexican food is a way of life. He loves this recipe.

We harvested 6.5 pounds of these delicious treats last week.

We don't know the original author of this recipe or the others below.


3.5 pounds of tomatillos husked but kept whole
1 medium white onion cut into 1 inch chunks
5 large serano chilles
5 larges cloves of garlic
1 firmly packed cup roughly chopped cilantro
2/3 cup fresh lime juice (yum)
1 tablespoon kosher salt

Put all the vegetables in a single layer baking dishes or on rimmed baking sheets and roast for 20 -35 minutes, turning occasionally until blackened in spots and tomatillos are soft, collapsed, and leaking. Puree the vegetables and juices along with the cilantro in a blender. Place in large sauce pan, add lime juice and salt. Bring to boil.

Water bath can.

Habanero Pepper Jelly (You can find the recipe at allrecipes.com).

We have three jabenero pepper plants that are producing tons of fruit. Belle made spicy jabenero jelly. It goes great with cream cheese on crackers.

Eggplant & Tomato Relish

Before this recipe Belle had written eggplants of as bug infested garden space wasters. Not anymore!

Belle found this in a book called Salsas, Relishes and Chutneys.

Makes 6 half pints.

2 lb eggplants cut into slices 3/4 inch thick
1/4 cup salt
1 1/4 lb tomatoes
4 tbsp olive oil
1 yellow onion halved and cut into slices
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup pitted kalamata olives
3 tbsp pine nuts, lightly toasted
2 tbsp capers
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/3 cup finely sliced fresh basil
salt and pepper

Arrange the eggplant slices in a single layer on paper towels. Sprinkle both sides with the 1/4 cup of salt and let the eggplant drain for about 1 hour.
Blanch, peel, and core the tomatoes, cut and dice 3/4 inch pieces Rinse the eggplant with cold water and pat dry with paper towel. Cut int 3/4 inch pieces.
In large nonreactive saucepan over medium heat, warm 3 tbsp of the olive oil. Add eggplant and cook, stirring frequently, until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Add the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil to the empty saucepan and reduce heat to medium-low. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until tender, about 15 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring for 2 minutes longer. Stir in the tomatoes, olives, pine nuts, capers, and vinegar. Raise the heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low, gently stir in the eggplant and basil, and simmer until heated through, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Water bath can. Process the jars for 20 minutes in boiling water. Store the jars in a dark place. They will keep for up to 6 months.

Happy canning!