Two Tomato Probiotic Salsa

Probiotic salsa anyone? This fresh salsa is easy to make, it tastes great and you don't have to chop pounds of tomatoes to make it. I whip up this 2 Tomato Salsa when I don't have time to make a big batch of veggie salsa.

Two Tomato Lacto-Fermented Salsa

1 Pint

• 2 tomatoes, diced

• 1/4 small onion, diced

• Juice of 1/2 small lime

• 1 garlic clove, minced

• 2 Tbsp. cilantro, minced; optional

• 1/4 jalapeno, de-seeded and minced; optional

• Pepper to taste

• 1/2 tsp. salt per cup of salsa (about 1 1/4 tsp.)

1. Mix all ingredients in a bowl.

2. Pack salsa in a pint jar and gently press down to submerge the ingredients below the liquid, as much as possible.

3. Screw an airtight lid on the top of the jar.

4. Place the jar on the counter at room temperature. You'll need to burp the jar once, or twice a day to release pressure. To do this, slightly loosen the lid to let off gas and re-tighten.

5. I usually ferment for this for 2-3 days in the summer and 3-4 days in the winter.

6. Store in the refrigerator for up to a month.

Notes

This is a mild salsa. You can add additional jalapeno, if desired.

Press the ingredients under the liquid, to discourage mold growth once a day; however, I have never had a problem with mold growth, so don't stress if you forget a day.

For a healthy ferment, do not decrease the amount of salt called for in the recipe. The amount of salt discourages bad bacteria and mold from taking hold and allows good bacteria to proliferate.

This makes about 1 1/2 cups of salsa, using 2 average size tomatoes. Roma tomatoes tend to be on the small side, so you can use 3, if needed.

Wear gloves, or baggies over your hands when chopping jalapenos. You touch your eyes more than you think. It can really irritate your eyes, especially if you wear contacts.