Rocoto Salsa Preserves

Ingredients:

2 dozen rocoto chiles, stemmed and seeded
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
6 cloves garlic
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
2 Tbsp. lime juice
1 cup water
2 Tbsp. rice or sherry wine vinegar
1 tsp. white pepper, freshly ground
1 tsp. salt, or more, if needed at finish

Instructions:

1. Place all the ingredients, except the vinegar and water, into a food processor and blend while adding the water slowly. This helps the ingredients to move around in the machine. Use a spatula to scoop the larger pieces into the mixture and blend until fine.

2. Place the mixture into a saucepan over high heat and bring to boil while stirring frequently. Reduce the heat to a simmer, then cover and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Stir in the vinegar and some water if the salsa is too thick. It should have some juice to it. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

4. Place the medium hot (temperature) salsa into boiling hot 6 or 8 oz. jars for extended storage. If kept in a cool place and refrigerated after opening, it will have good shelf life. Also, you can puree the final product and adjust the consistency with a bit of water and lime juice for marinades or bottled hot sauce.

Recipe by Larry Noggle.