Sassy Salsas
By Brenda Hyde
I love salsas! I remember the first time I made my own and was
amazed at the fresh, crisp taste that exploded in my mouth. There
is no comparison between bottled salsa and homemade. Their
uses are endless! Serve them with homemade tortilla or pita chips,
quesadillas, grilled meats or seafood. I find that they are delicious
immediately after mixing the ingredients at room temperature. Most
homemade salsas will last at least a week if covered and stored in the
refrigerator, but I do find their fresh taste is best the first 2 days
or so.
You don't have to withstand burning temperatures in your mouth to enjoy
salsas. To make the salsas milder do not include the seeds
of the pepper or only use half the amount recommended. Experiment
until you find the level of heat that is good for you. If a salsa does
end
up being too hot, dice or puree more tomato and add to it. This will
cut the heat.
Chipotles Salsa
Ingredients:
4 chipotle peppers
1/2 cup water
2 teaspoons vinegar-such as cider or white
1 1/2 cups red ripe tomatoes, diced in 1/2 inch squares
3 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1/2 cup cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped
Place the chipotles in a medium-sized glass bowl (for the
microwave) or small pan (for top of the range) and add the water
and vinegar. Cover and simmer to soften the chiles-5 minutes in the
microwave or about 30 minutes on top of the range. When done,
uncover and allow to cool. In the meantime, prepare all the remaining
ingredients and combine together, except for the cilantro.
Finely mince the chiles, peel and all, and stir in, adding some
juice as needed to make a salsa of the desired consistency. Add
the cilantro.
Salsa Mexicana
Ingredients:
1 1/2 white onion, finely chopped
4 tomatoes, peeled, seeded and finely chopped
2 to 4 chiles serranos, seeded and finely chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
salt to taste
juice of 1 lime
2 tablespoons olive oil
Combine onion, tomatoes, chiles, and cilantro in a bowl. Season with
lime juice, salt and olive oil. Stir and allow to marinate for at
least 1 hour before serving. This may be made the day ahead and
refrigerated.
Pico De Gallo
Ingredients:
3 medium tomatoes (firm to the touch)
1 green onion with the stalk
3 jalapenos or serrano peppers to taste
1/2 cilantro bunch (about half cup or more chopped)
1 medium sweet yellow onion
1 pinch of salt
Dice the tomatoes and onions into little cubes, the cilantro
and jalapenos should be finely chopped.Once you've done
this, you should toss all the ingredients together evenly.
Optional: You can add a bit of fresh lemon or lime juice if
you're going to serve the pico de gallo on fajita tacos or with
seafood.
Pineapple Salsa
Ingredients:
1 small.can pineapple rings, drained
1 tablespoon red bell pepper, diced
3 green onions, sliced fine lengthwise
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon fresh mint leaves, chopped
Cut pineapple rings into 1/4 inch pieces. Mix with all
other ingredients. Chill very well. This is great with
pork, or as a dip for tortilla chips. Makes 1 1/2 cups.
New Mexican Salsa
Ingredients:
4-6 long green chiles
2 Jalapeno chiles, chopped
4 tomatoes, chopped
1 medium red onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoon cilantro, minced
2 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
Roast, peel, seed and chop chiles, or substitute 1 can chopped green
chiles. Mix all ingredients. Let stand 1 hr. before using.
Citrus Salsa
Ingredients:
3 large oranges
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tsp. minced, seeded jalapeno pepper
Remove peel and white pith from oranges.
Remove seeds if they are not seedless. You
can use any type of oranges you wish. I often
buy a selection on the bargain rack in our
product section of different types! With a sharp
knife, over medium bowl, cut the orange sections
from membranes, allowing fruit and juices
to fall into bowl. Add remaining ingredients;
toss to combine. Serve with tortilla, bagel
or pita chips.
About the author:
Brenda Hyde is editor of Seeds of Knowledge, a freelance writer,
cook, gardener and Mom. Growing and using herbs is one of her
favorite things to do!
Article copyright 2000 by Brenda Hyde
