Without a garden of my own this year, I have been amazingly blessed by the continuous outpouring of generosity of others.  From fresh herbs to intensely rich spinach to baskets of summer squash and crisp kohlrabi, the produce kept on coming.  And now, I’m reveling in the scarlet red richness of fresh tomatoes off the vine.  There’s nothing like it.  Nothing.

Although the warm weather still lingers on most days, we experienced the threat of the season’s first frost.  Thus, the remaining tomatoes were harvested and I was once again gifted a giant bowlful ~ this time of green tomatoes.

Certainly not a fan of the oh, so prized “fried green tomatoes,” which are apparently a rarity in these parts, my mind immediately composed dreams of greens…green tomatoes, green chilies (chiles), and green cilantro.

I mustered over the process for a day or so, before I took to the kitchen.

Instead of striking “green,” I believe I struck gold!

Fire Roasted Green Tomato and Chile Salsa

Yields about 1 1/2 cups

3-4 cups chopped green tomatoes
2 large shallots, thinly sliced
2 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
2-3 tsp. coconut vinegar
1/2 tsp. coarse sea salt
1/4 cup fire roasted green chilies, diced
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Combine the chopped tomatoes, shallots, oil, vinegar, and salt in a large baking dish.  Toss well.  Cook the mixture 25-40 minutes (depending upon the heat of your oven), stirring occasionally.  Once the shallots begin to caramelize and the tomatoes are wilted and losing juice, things are about done.  Remove from the oven and add the chilies and cilantro, stirring well.  Allow the mixture to cool.
Place all ingredients in a high speed blender and pulse until you reach a happy medium of somewhere in between chunky and smooth.

**Serve warm over cilantro-lime marinated flank steak (oh yes I did) and then serve AGAIN (if you have any leftover) the next morning cold over steamed eggs and sweet potato hash.  A.M.A.Z.I.N.G!!