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COOKING ONBOARD
Tropical Salsa:
Pineapple &
Chili Pepper
By Robbie Johnson
There’s nothing quite like a fresh salsa, vegetable relish, or a spicy homemade chutney to wake up those taste buds and
bring out the best in meat, poultry and seafood dishes, not to mention serving as tasty appetizers for those impromptu
beach parties and anchorage gatherings. I have a half-dozen favorites that I rotate among, but this pineapple and chili
salsa has received such rave reviews over the years that I almost always have a couple of jars in my galley’s pantry. I use
only fresh tropical fruit and juices, and I typically process six 8-ounce jars at a time, using my big enameled metal pot
that also serves for boiling lobsters and making jambalayas. I explain the simple processing technique below after listing
the ingredients, and the same processing method is also used for preparing relishes and chutneys.
INGREDIENTS:
4 cups fresh papaya, peeled, seeded and cubed
2 cups fresh pineapple, peeled, cored and cubed
1 cup golden raisins
1 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
1/2 cup fresh pineapple juice
1/2 cup Anaheim peppers, seeded and chopped
2 tablespoons green onions (scallions), finely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, finely chopped
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
PREPARATION:
(1) Start with a large soup pot, one big enough that you can
sit six 8-oz. Mason jars in the bottom. I have a rack that
holds the jars up off the bottom of the pot. Fill each of
the jars half-full with water so they won’t float when
you pour water into the pot around them. Pour enough
water into the pot until the jars are two-thirds covered.
Bring the water to a simmer; it is not necessary to boil it
for pre-sterilization. The next cooking step is going to
kill all bacteria anyway.
(2) In a large stainless steel saucepan, mix together the
papaya, pineapple, raisins, lemon juice, lime juice,
pineapple juice, Anaheim peppers, scallions, cilantro
and brown sugar. Bring to a boil over medium-high
heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and boil gently,
stirring until slightly thickened (about 10 minutes).
(3) Remove the hot jars one at a time with tongs and fill
them with the hot salsa, leaving 1/2-inch headspace.
Remove air bubbles by poking down the sides with a
spatula. Adjust headspace, adding salsa as necessary.
Wipe rim with a vinegar-soaked napkin, and center lid
on jar. Screw band down until resistance is met, then
increase to fingertip-tight.
(4) Fill each hot jar in turn, returning the filled jar to the hot
water in the pot, finally adding water until all of the jars
are completely submerged beneath the water. Cover
with lid and bring water to a boil and process for 15
minutes, then cut off heat and remove the pot’s lid. Wait
5 minutes, then remove each jar with tongs. (Careful!
They’re hot!) Place jars on a towel-covered countertop,
and allow to cool. (I usually drape a towel over them so
they will cool slowly, unaffected by a draft.) As the jars
cool, you will hear a series of sharp “pings” signaling
that a vacuum has formed inside the jars. Notice that the
lids are now all concave from the vacuum. The
processed salsa will keep fresh for months if you can
resist eating it for that long! A party appetizer favorite
of mine: Serve it with grilled pita bread brushed with
olive oil.
Robbie Johnson lives aboard a steel Tahiti Ketch and is the author
of Gourmet Underway – A Sailor’s Cookbook. Order his book
at www.gourmetunderway.com.
News & Views for Southern Sailors SOUTHWINDS September 2010 47