The unique thing about this salsa recipe is that the vegetables are
blackened before being further cut up and added to the salsa pot.

Since this is such a messy procedure, I tend to make really large
quantities (it freezes well), so I don't really use any consistant
numbers of different vegetables.... I do use a general ratio (volume
when chopped) of two parts tomatoes to one part peppers and one part
onion.  The following list of suggested ingredients is just to give you
a general idea:

* 8 ripe red tomatoes or 15 italian plum tomatoes
* 4-6 yellow onions
* 4-5 green peppers
* 5 green jalopeno peppers (add some seeds for extra hotness)
* 5 yellow (hot) banana peppers (add some seeds for extra hotness)
* other types of peppers, if desired.
* 1/2-1 pound of mushrooms, washed and sliced
* 1-2 cans tomato sauce
* 1 t. or more ground black pepper

Take thick (1/4-1/2 inch) slices of onion and tomato and flattened
pieces of the different peppers, slap them onto an old cookie sheet
over high heat on the stove (placed over one or two burners), and let
them sizzle and blacken. Use a metal spatula to turn the vegetables.
When the veggies are scorched, remove them with the spatula, cut them
into small chunks, and put them into a pot. Cut up and add the
mushrooms, add enough tomato sauce to make things soupy, and simmer
over low heat for an hour or so.

You can add some black pepper and coriander or chopped cilantro while
the salsa is simmering.  I prefer not to add cayenne pepper, as it can
be hard to judge just how hot things may get with the particular
peppers you added, and you may sometimes want a milder salsa.  I find
it's simpler to add Tobasco hot sauce to taste just before using.

Blackening will not actually make the veggies taste burnt, but will
give the salsa a great smokey, barbequed flavor -- if you're skeptical,
think of how wonderful blackened shish-kebab veggies taste.  It's best
to just sacrifice a  cookie sheet to this task; I have an old battered
one that gets stored in a paper bag between batches of salsa.

*Note* that this method of blackening can produce a lot of smoke, so
turn off your smoke detector (don't forget to re-connect it afterward)!