We’re talking the dip, not the dance here. My dancing skills may need a lot of help, but I think my salsa dip skills are in pretty good shape. In my CSA bounty last week I got a huge bunch of cilantro. Now I HATE cilantro; it tastes like strange grass to me. But I love salsa! Considering you usually don’t need that much cilantro for most salsa recipes (unless you’re making salsa verde), I predicted a lot of salsa in my weekend plans. A lot of salsa takes a lot of time, so I decided to post as a two part series.

First up was some corn salsa. One of my favorite salsa ever is corn and black bean. Of course, for that very reason, I had no luck finding a corn & black bean recipe for canning. I’m still a bit weary to venture out on my own and just can something without a recipe because I’m concerned about the PH level and bacteria. So instead, I opted for a plain corn salsa. I’m not sure if it’s the tastiest salsa I ever made (still to try), but it certainly is the prettiest!

Corn Salsa (From Put ‘Em Up) Makes 8 pints

• 12 ears corn, shucked
• 3 c distilled white vinegar
• 1 c sugar
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp salt
• 5 lb tomatoes, diced
• 1-2 jalapeno peppers, minced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 1 large onion, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 c chopped cilantro

Bring a large non-reactive stock pot of water to a boil. Add the corn and boil for 5 minutes. Drain. When the corn is cool enough to handle, slice kernels off, being careful not to cut into the cobs. Empty and wipe out the stock pot.

Combine the vinegar, sugar, cumin, and salt in the stock pot, and bring to a boil. Add the tomatoes, jalapenos, bell pepper, onion, garlic, and corn kernels, and return to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes to allow flavors to blend. Stir in the cilantro and return to a boil, Remove from the heat.

Ladle into clean, hot pint jars leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Wipe the rims clean; center lids on jars and screw on jar bands. Process in boiling water bath for 15 minutes. Turn off heat and let jars rest in water for an extra 5 minutes. Remove jars and leave undisturbed for 24 hours. Label and store sealed jars for up to 1 year (if they last that long!).

Stay tuned for some sweet and spicy salsa tomorrow!

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• Tomatillo Verde (angiesgrapevine.wordpress.com)
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• Preserving Berry Season (brooklynlocavore.wordpress.com)