Slice of life

A sampling of summer salsa recipes

By Eileen Goltz

Issue of August 1, 2008

I used to live in a ketchup house. No, not a house made of ketchup, but rather a house where, if you ate it, you put ketchup on it. I felt it was my duty to wean these “condiment peasants” away from the ordinary and introduce them to the extraordinary. For me, that means salsa (the sauce, not the dance).

“Salsa” is Spanish for the word “sauce,” so saying “salsa sauce” is kind of superfluous. People in the US now spend more on salsa than on ketchup (or catsup, if you prefer that spelling). At its most basic, salsa is: chopped tomatoes, onions, chilies and cilantro. The original salsa recipes seem to have originated with the Incas as well as the Aztecs and Mayans. These native tribes combined tomatoes with chili peppers, ground squash seeds and consumed it as a condiment on their meats. When the Spanish conquistadors came calling early in the 1500s, they liked the concoction so much that they took home the recipe.

Today, salsa is more than the sum of its parts because all bets are off when it comes to ingredients being used. Fresh fruits, vegetables and all kinds of spices are combined to make salsa the number one condiment to pass. Summer is the perfect time to experiment because everything you could possibly want to include in the recipe is at the grocery or local produce stand. So if you’re trapped in a ketchup house, rejoice, there is a cure.

The following salsa recipes will work well with chicken, beef, seafood, or just with corn chips and veggies. Most recipes will last two to three days in the refrigerator but it’s best to eat them within the first day or so as some of the softer veggies like avocado and corn tend to get a bit mushy.

Note: when doubling or tripling the recipes don’t necessarily double or triple the seasoning. Taste first, then season.

AVOCADO CORN SALSA (pareve)

2 small to medium ripe avocados, peeled, seeded, and finely diced

1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels

2 medium tomatoes, seeded and finely diced

2 to 3 tablespoons lime juice

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh cilantro

1/2 to 1 teaspoon minced hot green chile peppers

1/2 teaspoon salt

In a medium bowl, gently combine avocado, corn kernels, tomatoes, lime juice, cilantro, chile peppers, and salt. Cover and refrigerate until ready to be served.

Makes about 1 1/2 cups. This recipe can be doubled or tripled.

PEACH SALSA (pareve)

2 ripe but firm medium peaches

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

1/4 cup finely chopped red onion

1/2 cup diced green bell pepper

1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

1 teaspoon (or to taste) minced jalapeno pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

fresh ground black pepper to taste

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and season to taste. Makes 1 1/2 cups. This recipe can be doubled or tripled.

CUCUMBER PEACH SALSA (pareve)

2 cups diced peaches (about 1 1/2 pounds)

1 cup diced unpeeled English hothouse cucumber

3/4 cup diced red bell pepper

1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

2 tablespoons apricot preserves

1 teaspoon chopped canned chipotle chiles

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and season to taste. Makes 3 cups. This recipe can be doubled or tripled.

MELON FRUIT SALSA (pareve)

Terrific with seafood

1 1/2 cups finely diced cantaloupe

1 1/2 cups finely diced honeydew melon

1 1/2 cups finely diced casaba melon

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro or mint

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced, or 1/4 tsp. cayenne

In a bowl combine all the ingredients. Cover and refrigerate. If you can allow this fruit salsa to chill over night it is absolutely terrific. Superb with grilled fish. Can be used for up to 2 days. Makes 4 1/2 cups.

MANGO CHERRY SALSA (pareve)

1 onion, chopped

2-3 cloves minced garlic

2-4 jalapenos, seeded and minced

Juice of 2 limes

Juice of 1 large lemon

2 tablespoons apple cider or rice wine vinegar

1 lb. fresh cherries, seeded and cut in half

2 fresh mangos cut in 1/2 inch cubes

Heat saute pan over medium heat. Add enough oil to lightly cover bottom of pan, about 1 tablespoon. Add onions, peppers and garlic and saute over medium heat until onions begin to collapse, about 5 to 8 minutes. Add lime juice, lemon juice and vinegar. Bring to a boil, add cherries and mangos. Simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Place in a serving bowl and chill.

Note: This may be served hot if preferred. If a smooth sauce is preferred, puree in food processor before chilling. This is served with grilled chicken or grilled or pan-seared fish. This makes about one pint of salsa.

PEACH TOMATO SALSA (pareve)

3 firm peaches (about 1 lb.)

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 ripe tomatoes (about 1/2 lb.)

6 large green onions

1 tablespoon canned jalapeno peppers, chopped

1 tablespoon cilantro, coarsely chopped

12 tablespoons good quality olive oil

6 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

2 tablespoons honey

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and season to taste. Makes 3 cups. This recipe can be doubled or tripled.

PINEAPPLE FRUIT SALSA (pareve)

1 can (20 oz.) pineapple cubes with juice

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1 seeded jalapeno minced

1 1/2 tablespoon fresh cilantro minced

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Simmer pineapple, sugar and jalapeno over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool. Puree in blender to desired thickness. Pour into bowl, stir in cilantro and lime juice. Cover and refrigerate. Makes 2 cups.

TROPICAL FRUIT SALSA (pareve)

2 mangos, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/4-inch pieces

2 peaches, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/4-inch pieces

3 kiwi fruit, peeled and cut into wedges

1/4 cup finely chopped red onion

1/4 cup fresh squeezed lime juice

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

2 teaspoons sugar

1 to 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint leaves

1 to 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro

In a medium bowl, combine mango, peach, kiwi fruit, onion, lime juice, salt, red pepper, sugar, mint leaves, and cilantro. Adjust the seasoning flavors to taste. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight. Makes 2 cups

Variation: Substitute 1 papaya or 2 large or 3 medium peaches for the mango.

CORN SALSA (pareve)

2 ears fresh corn, husked

1 large fresh tomato, chopped

1 large fresh nectarine, pitted and chopped

1 red onion, chopped

2 red bell peppers, diced

1 tablespoon green chile pepper, chopped garlic salt to taste

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Boil the corn 5 minutes, or until kernels are tender. Drain corn, cool, and cut kernels from cob. In a food processor, pulse the tomato, nectarine, red onion, peppers, green chile pepper, and garlic salt until chunky. Transfer to a bowl, and mix in the corn. Makes 2 cups.