Let's Salsa!

One-two-three-four! Everybody hit the floor and let’s salsa!

You can put away your dancing shoes and get out your favorite chopping blade, we won’t be cutting rugs today but we will be cutting up some fresh ingredients to create some great Salsa Mexicana, Pico de Gallo or Salsa Cruda…whatever you choose to call it; you will definitely want to dip into it.

The first step is to make sure your ingredients are as fresh as possible and the tomatoes, while ripe, are still firm without any soft spots.

Most people make their salsa with roma/plum tomatoes but any good firm tomato will work as long as it is fleshy and you remove the seeds and juice.
When I am catering a party or having guests over, I like to jazz up my salsa with a variety of tomatoes. I like to use quartered cherry tomatoes or halved grape tomatoes, or mix in halved yellow pear tomatoes. (WalMart carries all of these including hydroponic and cherry tomatoes on the vine.)

The second step is to make sure your knife is sharp so you do not bruise the tomato when you dice or cut them. If you do not have a knife sharpener, just listen for the sound of a pan flute… that is the “knife sharpener guy” and he will sharpen your knives for a very small price. If all else fails, a thin serrated knife will cut through a tomato skin better than a dull knife, so bust out a steak knife if need be.

Third step, wash/soak all of your ingredients, dry and get ready to salsa!

Basic Salsa Recipe

INGREDIENTS:
4 plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 or 2 fresh chiles (jalepeño or Serrano) peppers, seeded and finely chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon lime juice
salt and pepper, to taste

PREPARATION:
Combine ingredients in a glass or other non-reactive bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Makes about 2 cups.

This recipe can be doubled, tripled, etc. You may want to make extra and divide to make a variety of salsas.

VARIATIONS:
Add any of these to the Basic Salsa Recipe from above:
½ cup seeded and diced cucumber
1 cup black beans and 1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 cup fresh raspberries with 2 tablespoons fresh chopped mint
1/2 cup diced pineapple
½ cup diced green, red, yellow or orange bell pepper

Any of these salsas are great on totopos (tortilla chips) or you can top a baked potato, or served with fish, chicken or pork. Try them as a marinade (just pulse in a blender or food processor for a few seconds) and save some for the garnish.

Another great option is to spread a glass pie plate with an 8 ounce block of cream cheese, top with your favorite salsa, shredded Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese and bake until bubbling and cheese is slightly browned. You can also add sour cream and black olives on top. Serve with chips.


Fiesta Corn Salsa

INGREDIENTS:
5 plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
2 cups frozen corn kernels, thawed
1/3 cup chopped purple onion
1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/4 cup chopped orange bell pepper
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 to 2 tablespoons finely chopped jalapeño or Serrano pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Makes about 4 1/2 cups of salsa.

Serve in margarita “fish bowl” glasses or Martini glasses


Mango Madness

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup diced fresh mango
1/3 cup roasted red peppers, drained & diced (you can buy these all over in either a can or a jar)
1/3 cup diced red onion
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded, minced
2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

PREPARATION:
Combine all ingredients and chill in a glass bowl. Goes great with fish or chicken.
Makes 1 1/2 cups of mango salsa.


Tropical Down Under Salsa



3 kiwis, peeled and diced
1 mango, peeled and diced
1 jalapeño, seeded and chopped fine
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1 lime, juiced

Add the diced fruit and jalapeño to a mixing bowl. Add lime juice and toss with cilantro. Allow to chill in refrigerator for 30 minutes for flavors to blend.


Peachy Keen Salsa

2 ripe peaches, diced
1 small red pepper; chopped
1/2 red onion; chopped
1 small jalapeño pepper; minced
1/3 cup pineapple juice
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh chopped mint

Add the diced fruit, pepper, onion and jalapeño to a mixing bowl. Add pineapple juice and balsamic vinegar and toss with the mint. Allow to chill in refrigerator for 30 minutes for flavors to blend.



Buen provecho!