Mexican Fresh Salsa Garden Seed Collection

Mexican Fresh Salsa Garden Seed Collection

7 seed packets

Grow the essential ingredients for colourful fresh Mexican-style salsa. This collection combines three distinctive tomatoes, two versatile chillies, cilantro and a traditional storage onion for a productive summer kitchen garden.

Includes one packet each of:

• ‘Jalapeño El Jefe’ chilli
• ‘Anaheim’ chilli
• ‘Mexico Pink’ tomato
• ‘Pink Berkeley Tie-Dye’ tomato
• ‘Indigo Rose’ tomato
• Cilantro (Coriander)
• ‘Pukekohe Long Keeper’ onion

Grow several plants of each tomato variety to provide plenty of fruit for making fresh, cooked and roasted salsa throughout summer.

A little history

Salsa simply means sauce in Spanish, but in Mexican cooking it describes a wide range of fresh, cooked and roasted sauces made with tomatoes, chillies, onion, garlic and herbs.

Tomatoes and chillies originated in the Americas and have been cultivated in Mexico for thousands of years. Combining different tomato and chilli varieties allows you to create salsas with a range of colours, flavours and heat levels.

‘Mexico Pink’ provides large, juicy tomatoes with a rich, balanced flavour, while ‘Pink Berkeley Tie-Dye’ contributes a complex sweet and tangy taste. ‘Indigo Rose’ adds deep purple colour and a firmer texture when fully ripe.

‘Jalapeño El Jefe’ provides a familiar medium heat, while ‘Anaheim’ is generally milder and can be roasted to add a deeper chilli flavour without overwhelming the tomatoes.

Colourful fresh tomato salsa

Makes approximately 500 ml

Ingredients:

• 500 g ripe tomatoes, using a mixture of ‘Mexico Pink’, ‘Pink Berkeley Tie-Dye’ and ‘Indigo Rose’
• 45 g finely chopped ‘Pukekohe Long Keeper’ onion
• 1 ‘Jalapeño El Jefe’ chilli, finely minced
• 1 ‘Anaheim’ chilli, finely minced
• 15 g chopped cilantro
• Salt to taste

Method:

1. Chop the tomatoes and place them in a medium-sized bowl with the finely chopped onion.
2. Remove the seeds and inner membranes from the chillies for a milder salsa, or leave some in for additional heat.
3. Finely mince the chillies and add them to the bowl. Wear gloves when handling chillies if you have sensitive skin.
4. Add the chopped cilantro and salt, then mix gently until combined.
5. Allow the salsa to stand for 10–15 minutes before serving so the flavours can develop.
6. Taste and adjust the salt if required.

Serve fresh with tacos, grilled meat, vegetables or tortilla chips. Refrigerate any leftovers and use within two days.

For a milder salsa, use half of the jalapeño or remove its seeds. For additional heat, add another ‘Jalapeño El Jefe’. The ‘Anaheim’ chilli may also be roasted separately, peeled and chopped before being stirred through the finished salsa.

Serve with tacos, grilled vegetables, meat or tortilla chips, or spoon over enchiladas and other Mexican-inspired dishes.

Growing tomatoes and chillies

For sowing and germination instructions, see our Tomato & Pepper Seed Germination Guide.

For guidance on planting, feeding, supporting and caring for your plants throughout the season, see our Ultimate Chilli, Pepper & Tomato Growing Guide.

Plant tomatoes and chillies in a warm, sunny position after the risk of frost has passed and the soil has warmed.

Allow approximately 50–75 cm between tomato plants and 40–50 cm between chilli plants. The tomato varieties in this collection are indeterminate and will require strong stakes or another form of support as they grow.

Harvest ‘Mexico Pink’ and ‘Pink Berkeley Tie-Dye’ when the fruit is fully coloured and slightly soft. Allow ‘Indigo Rose’ to develop its dark purple colouring and ripen fully underneath before picking.

‘Jalapeño El Jefe’ and ‘Anaheim’ chillies can be harvested green for a fresh flavour or left on the plant to ripen further for increased sweetness and heat.