Victory Gardens began as a movement toward self-reliance at a time of great difficulty. During WWI and WWII people grew in backyards and empty lots, on window ledges and rooftops, reportedly generating 40 percent of all produce consumed during those periods.
As we navigated this challenging year, many of us likewise coped by putting seeds into soil, establishing a small effort toward self-sufficiency. We grew in yards and community spaces, on window ledges and rooftops. With hope in our hearts and maybe a bit of extra time on our hands, we tended to our plants and found gifts of calm and beauty in doing so.
Our 2020 Victory Gardens provided meaningful action in the midst of uncertainty, as well as a source of fresh seasonal food, picked and consumed at peak nutrition. Modern Victory Gardens (at least by my definition) grow the food your family enjoys to eat. In my home we grow flowers for the pollinators, berries, some greens and vegetables, and plenty of herbs. We moved our pot-grown tomato plants (plum, beefsteak, cherry, and a pink heirloom variety) to a new location this year and they produced an incredible bounty! And while I know that cilantro is not everyone’s favorite, it’s beyond perfect in this salsa recipe, which can be served as a dip with tortilla chips or fresh veggies, on top of toasted crusty bread, or on its own with sliced avocado.
Ingredients
- 2 pints cherry or grape tomatoes, quartered
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 sweet onion, roughly diced
- 1 jalapeño pepper, roughly diced
- 3 whole tomatoes
- 2 banana peppers, finely diced
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
- Juice of 1–2 limes
- Seasoning: sugar, paprika, garlic powder, salt
Preparation
Preheat oven to 450 °F. Prepare a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Add quartered cherry tomatoes and 3 cloves of minced garlic. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil, sprinkle with sugar, paprika (smoky is extra good!), garlic powder and salt. Toss to coat evenly and roast for 12–15 minutes. Allow to cool.
Separately, in a skillet, warm roughly 1 tablespoon olive oil. Sauté sweet onion, jalapeño pepper and remaining 2 cloves of garlic. When the onion becomes transparent, add mixture to food processor/blender along with one whole tomato and process to desired consistency. Pour into a serving bowl and allow to cool.
Dice remaining 2 large tomatoes and mix with banana peppers.
When everything is room temperature, combine puréed mix, roasted mix, and fresh diced mix. Season with cilantro, lime juice, and more paprika and salt to taste. Chill in the refrigerator.
