Getty Images / Summer fruit salad The kaleidoscope of vegetables and fresh fruits on the horizon offers an almost unlimited color palette and number of flavor profiles for making salsas: plump, red strawberries; creamy avocados; sweet Vidalia onions; and, soon to come, lovely peaches and those cheerful, colorful tomatoes […]
Click here to view original web page at www.timesfreepress.com
The kaleidoscope of vegetables and fresh fruits on the horizon offers an almost unlimited color palette and number of flavor profiles for making salsas: plump, red strawberries; creamy avocados; sweet Vidalia onions; and, soon to come, lovely peaches and those cheerful, colorful tomatoes and peppers fresh from the garden.
Salsa grabbed hold of the Southern palate in the mid-20th century as Mexican eateries established themselves, first in larger cities before reaching most neighborhoods around the South. Chattanooga was no exception. It didn't take long, though, for clever cooks to realize that the marriage of sweet and savory was one made in culinary heaven — a blending of flavors that whirls around the tastebuds and taps into our inner love of peppery sweetness.
Thanks to our global garden, fruits once appearing in summer only — primarily berries, stone fruits and sweet onions — can now be found yearround. But there's something to be said for patience, waiting until the traditional seasons bring forth their produce at the right time — their peaks of freshness.
Mother Nature played a trick on us, giving us strawberries long before blueberries ripened on their bushes and blackberries gave way to their luscious deep-purple color. So there must be some manipulating of ingredients when making some fruit salsas, but the beauty of salsa is this: In most cases, you can substitute one fruit for another. Salsas are a very forgiving thing.
Pepper Peach Salsa
— 1 1/2 cups peaches, peeled and cut into small cubes
— 1/4 medium red onion, cut into small dice
— 1/4 bell pepper (red, yellow, orange or green) cut into small dice
— 1 jalapeno pepper, cored, seeded and minced
— 1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro or flat-leaf parsley
— 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
— 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin or chili powder
Kosher salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl. Let stand for 10 to 15 minutes to allow the flavors to blend. Serve with tortilla chips or as a garnish for grilled chicken.
Summer Salsa
— 1/4 cup strawberries, finely chopped
— 1/2 cup blueberries
— 1/4 cup blackberries, halved if they're large
— 1/4 cup raspberries, halved
— 1/4 cup papaya, finely chopped
— 1/4 cup pineapple, finely chopped
— 1 kiwi, finely chopped
— 1/4 cup small red grapes, halved
Pomegranate seeds
— 1/3 cup red onion, finely diced
— 1/4 cup (or to taste) jalapeno pepper, finely minced, seeds and all (for less heat leave out the seeds)
Champagne vinegar
Put everything into a bowl and add the vinegar, starting with 2 tablespoons and adding more if needed. You want to just lightly dress the salsa without drowning it. Toss gently and serve with tortilla chips.
Avocado Salsa
— 1 cup red onion, chopped
— 6 medium Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
— 1 large or 2 small jalapeños, seeded and chopped (or, leave in the seeds if you like heat)
— 3 medium avocados, semi-firm but ripe, peeled, pitted and diced
— 3 tablespoons olive oil
— 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
— 1 clove garlic, finely minced
— 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
— 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
— 1/2 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves, chopped
Place red onion in a strainer or sieve and rinse under cool water to remove harsh bite. Drain well. Add to a mixing bowl along with diced tomatoes, jalapeños and avocados.
In a separate small mixing bowl, whisk together olive oil, lime juice, garlic, salt and pepper until mixture is well blended. Pour mixture over avocado mixture, add cilantro then gently toss mixture to evenly coat. Serve with tortilla chips or alongside tacos and other Mexican dishes.
Sweet Onion Watermelon Salsa
— 2 cups watermelon, seeded and diced
— 1/2 cup cucumber, seeded and diced
— 1/2 cup yellow bell pepper, seeded and diced
— 1/4 cup red onion, diced
— 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
— 3 tablespoons jalapeño pepper, seeded and diced
— 2 tablespoons honey
— 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Zest of one lime, plus 1-2 tablespoons juice
Combine the watermelon, cucumber, yellow bell pepper, red onion, cilantro and jalapeno pepper in a medium mixing bowl.
Drizzle with honey and 1 tablespoon lime juice. Taste and add more lime juice, as needed. Sprinkle with salt, and toss gently to combine. Refrigerate for one hour to allow the flavors to combine. Serve with tortilla chips.
