Tomato and Chilli Salsa

Every couple of months I make up a batch of this Tomato and Chilli Salsa. It's great to just leave in the tub in the fridge then add to the side of your plate with chicken, beef, pork, fish, actually just about anything. It's also great to use as a dip with crackers and cheese platter or to add some zing to your toasted sandwich for lunch! The chilli components are entirely optional if you prefer something a little more gentle on the palette.

You may begin to notice I'm not really a fan of using quantities in recipes (unless it is for a specific baking recipe like cakes and pastries and finer items), hence the below list doesn't give a lot of detail. I'm hoping most people can judge whether a "good dollop" is the appropriate quantity or a "smidgen" is more suited to the recipe!

Ingredients:

• Olive oil
• Onion - red, white or brown, chopped
• Garlic - crushed or minced
• Chillies - chopped, optional
• Ginger - grated
• Tomatoes - peeled and seeded, chopped
• 1 Cup lightly packed soft brown sugar
• 1 Cup basil - chopped
• 1 Cup red wine vinegar
• 1/3 Cup dry sherry
• Sweet chilli sauce

 Method:

1. Soften the onion, garlic, chillies, ginger in the oil. Do not allow to brown.
2. Add the chopped tomato pieces. Remember, a salsa is quite rustic, so there's no need to be fine and delicate with the ingredients. The original recipe I sourced this from suggested to peel the tomatoes too but I find the skin adds more texture to the final product.
3. Once the tomato is warmed through in the mix, add the remaining ingredients: basil, sugar, vinegar, sherry and a good couple of tablespoons of chilli sauce.
   
   
4. Stir until well combined. Reduce to a simmer and allow to thicken and become dark and syrupy over the next 1 to 2 hours. The mix will require stirring frequently to ensure it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan and burn.
5. The salsa will continue to thicken on cooling so it's fine to turn the heat off with a bit of liquid and softness still in the mix.