Salsa

Fresh Salsa is one of the pleasures of Summer.  Salsa is both Spanish and Italian for sauce.  It is delicious as a taco dip, or as a condiment served with roasted meat, poultry or fish.  If you are lucky enough to have an herb and vegetable garden (or, a really great neighbour with a garden), then homemade fresh Salsa is probably something you enjoy throughout the Summer.  

There are five basic ingredients in Salsa:  tomatoes, onion, jalapeno pepper, cilantro and lime juice.  I know, just as I define the list, you'll add and subtract from it!  That's the beauty of Salsa, there's room for experimentation.

Traditional Salsa  

3 Cups chopped fresh tomatoes

1/2 Cup finely diced green pepper

1/4 Cup finely diced red pepper

1/2 Cup finely diced onion

1/4 Cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 finely diced jalapeno pepper

2 Tbsp fresh lime juice

1 Tbsp olive oil (optional)

salt and cracked black pepper to taste

Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl, stirring well.  Cover and chill for at least one hour.  Serve with taco chips and avocado, or as a condiment with roast chicken, meat or fish.   

If you're like me, and all of the women in our family, you'll be changing the recipe as you read along. Substitute red onion, or even green onion for white onion.  What, no garlic?  Add garlic.  Don't have cilantro and lime?  Substitute with fresh parsley and lemon juice (not the same, but it works). Terrified of handling jalapeno chile peppers?  Many recipes come with a warning about using disposable gloves, washing hands with soap and hot water, and avoiding touching your eyes for most of the day.  Substitute with dried Chile peppers, or season with dried Chipotle pepper.  Hey, it's a Summer snack, not Christmas dinner!

For the non-conformists, there's a non-tomato version of Salsa you might enjoy...

Just Peachy Salsa

1 Cup chopped fresh peaches

1/2 Cup diced red bell pepper

1/2 Cup diced red onion

1/4 Cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 diced jalapeno pepper

2 Tbsp lime juice

salt and pepper to taste

Blanche the peaches with boiling water, so as to more easily remove the peel.  Chop the peaches, and combine all of the ingredients in a bowl.  Stir, and cover.  Refrigerate for at least one hour, so that the flavours blend.

This recipe too, has a variation:  substitute peaches with fresh nectarines.  Nectarines are much firmer than peaches, and dice easily.  Whereas peaches are best chopped.  You don't need to remove the skin from the nectarine, making this option a much easier one if you are in a hurry.

Photographs Copyright of :  Ruth Adams, Widow's Endorphins Photographic Images Incorporated.