Homemade Salsa

 

If you're looking for a versatile condiment that's perfect for summer fare, consider salsa. I know many of you think of salsa as something to serve with tortilla chips or a Mexican dish, but there are a lot of interesting ways to use it.

Salsa is the Spanish and Mexican word for sauce, but in America it is thought of as a chunky tomato condiment that can be raw or slightly cooked. If you have only experienced salsa from a jar, you owe it to yourself to make up a batch of fresh using local produce and try it in some new and creative ways.

Although most often made with tomatoes, salsa can be prepared with various fruits and vegetables depending on what you are going to serve it with. I've prepared different variations of salsas made with papaya, pineapple, and mango that go great with grilled fish, chicken, pork, or shrimp.

Or how about a combination of tomato and fruit like orange, tomato and red onion salsa. In one of my favorite New York Italian restaurants, they served a grilled veal chop with traditional salsa piquant. And if you're hungry and in a hurry, a simple fresh tomato salsa on top of a baked potato is delicious.

There are endless recipes you can come up with and depending on your own taste buds, you can make it as spicy or mild as you like. Just be careful not to touch your eyes after handling hot peppers. You think they're hot in your mouth!

One night I purchased some great looking swordfish steaks from my local supermarket. The fishmonger, Charles, is a wealth of information when it comes to fish and doesn't seem to mind answering my numerous questions about buying and preparing fish. (But that's the subject of some future article)

Swordfish being a firm white meat fish, I decided to serve it with my own homemade "Honus's Salsa", a nickname given by one of my wife's girlfriends years ago. This is the same recipe we prepared for Christmas one year, canned in jars, and sent to all our family members for gifts. We even produced our own label with a family photo on it. Great fun and well received by all.

Give this recipe a try or create your own and sere it with something other than chips. You'll find the leftovers are better the next day after a night of marinating and will make a great omelet the next morning. When I prepare this recipe, I usually make a large amount at one time and dine on it all week. If you just want to make enough for one meal, reduce the amounts proportionately. Enjoy. RG

Cooking Techniques - Cutting and Chopping

• 6 cups chopped tomatoes
• 1/2 cup scallions, minced
• 1 cup FRESH cilantro, chopped, no stems
• 6-8 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup chopped FRESH oregano
• 2 tablespoons Jalapeno pepper, minced (more if your taste buds can handle it)
• 1 red pepper, chopped
• 2 yellow peppers, chopped
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3 tablespoons FRESH lime juice
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Lots of prep work for making this dish. In fact it's all about prepping the ingredients and that's the way you should approach it. Yes, you can make it easy by throwing ingredients into the food processor and it will still taste great but you will loose a lot of the texture.

If you have the time, savor the process and chop up most of the ingredients by hand. You may even find you like the repetitive action of cutting and dicing. I find it very relaxing when I'm stressed out. If you must use a food processor to save time, at least cut up the tomatoes by hand.

Try to use the freshest, ripest tomatoes you can find. It will make a big difference to the final taste. What if you wanted to make Honus's Salsa in the middle of the winter and the tomatoes looks awful. You can always use chopped canned tomatoes in a pinch and it will still be good but not AS good.

Chop up the tomatoes and mince the scallions. If you can't find scallions, you can substitute fresh onion. Mince the garlic and chop up the oregano. Be careful with the Jalapeno pepper. You'll want to wash your hands after handling it so not to take a chance of rubbing any in your eyes.

Split the pepper in half and clean out the seeds and membrane and then chop into small pieces.

Once all the ingredients are prepped, add them to a large bowl and stir gently until well combined. Cover, and refrigerate for at least one hour.

Serving Suggestions:

Chips
Any hardy white fish
Grilled chicken breasts
Tacos, burritos, or as a side dish for any Mexican dish
Grilled Hanger Steak

More Recipes

 

My Side Recipes

Mashed Potatoes, breads, vegetable
sides, sauces, salads, condiments.