Roasted Tomato Salsa -- The Work That Feeds Everything Else

Five weeks. The heat is not relenting and neither am I. I have been getting up at five-thirty to garden before seven when the sun gets serious, and by eight I am back in the kitchen with what I've brought in. New beans, late cucumbers, the last of the summer squash, tomatoes in quantities I can barely manage. I am managing them. Bernice always said July was not for resting. July is for the work that feeds everything else. I believe her more every year.

James called Thursday and told me something that made me put down what I was doing. Dorothy is in remission. Full remission. The six-month scans were clean, the twelve-month scans were clean, the oncologist used the word remission and James said he sat in the parking lot of the cancer center for twenty minutes and then called me. I said, James. He said, I know. I said, Dorothy is strong. He said, she is. She always was. I just didn't know how strong until this year. I said that is almost always how you find out — not when things are easy but when they are not. He said, I'm going to remember that. I said, I know you will.

Five weeks until the baby. Dorothy in remission. The tomatoes in jars. CJ's first hat in the basket in the guest room. The cast iron in their kitchen already seasoning their first meals. My freezer full. The name decided. All the preparation complete. The only remaining thing is to wait, open-handed, for August to deliver what August has been promising since January: a new person at the table. Caleb Marcus Simms. Come when you're ready. We are ready for you.

With Dorothy’s news still warm in my chest and Caleb’s arrival just weeks away, I wanted everything I put up this season to carry some of that weight — something that would open in January and taste like this particular August. Roasted tomato salsa is what I reach for when the tomatoes are coming in faster than I can count them, because roasting concentrates everything good about a summer tomato into something that keeps. A jar of this on the shelf through winter is a small act of faith: proof that the work you do now feeds everything else later, just like Bernice always said.

Roasted Tomato Salsa

Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 40 minutes | Total Time: 1 hour | Servings: About 4 cups (8 servings)

Ingredients

• 3 pounds roma or plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise
• 1 medium white onion, quartered
• 6 cloves garlic, unpeeled
• 2 jalapeño peppers, halved and seeded (leave seeds in for more heat)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (about 1 lime)
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven. Set your oven to 425°F and line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil or parchment paper.
2. Arrange the vegetables. Place the tomatoes cut-side up on the baking sheet along with the onion quarters, unpeeled garlic cloves, and jalapeño halves. Drizzle everything with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
3. Roast until charred. Roast for 35–40 minutes, until the tomatoes are collapsed and caramelized and the edges have taken on some char. The onion should be soft and slightly browned at the edges.
4. Peel the garlic. Let the pan cool for 5 minutes, then squeeze the roasted garlic cloves out of their skins and discard the skins.
5. Blend the salsa. Transfer all of the roasted vegetables and any accumulated juices to a blender or food processor. Add the cumin, smoked paprika, and lime juice. Pulse 8–10 times for a chunky salsa, or blend longer for a smoother consistency.
6. Finish and taste. Stir in the chopped cilantro. Taste and adjust salt, lime juice, or heat as needed. If the salsa is too thick, add a tablespoon or two of water and stir to combine.
7. Cool and store. Let the salsa cool completely before transferring to jars or an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 2 weeks, or process in a water bath canner for shelf-stable jars according to your canner’s instructions.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 65 | Protein: 1g | Fat: 4g | Carbs: 7g | Fiber: 2g | Sodium: 180mg