Salsa adds color and spark to winter meals. It's easy to make with some great homemade salsa recipes. Salsa can help make that healthy eating resolution very enjoyable, as it is a low-fat, high-flavor alternate to gravies and sauces. If made with fresh vegetables, salsa is low fat and low sodium, not to mention high in Vitamin C and several minerals. No longer just for chips, use salsa as a condiment for meats, fish, salads, soups, casseroles and vegetables.
Red tomatoes were the traditional base for salsas, but with popularity comes variety! Now when you think salsa, think mango, papaya, pineapple, orange, summer squash and roasted vegetables. The term "salsa" has come to mean just about any combination of chopped fruits or vegetables with hot or mild spicing.
Choosing Your Ingredients
Take a salsa-building tour of the local grocery store or farmers' market. Chilies can be purchased fresh, canned or dried, selecting them on the basis of the heat desired. Bell peppers are extremely mild. Anaheim chilies are fairly mild. Moving up the scale, jalapenos and serranos are hot and habanero (also called Scotch bonnets) and Thai chilies are very hot. Removing the seeds removes some, but not all, of the heat.
Preparing Salsa
Salsas are easy to prepare. A knife and a cutting board is all that is absolutely essential, but if you happen to have one, a food processor can cut down on preparation time. Although most salsa ingredients are used uncooked, chilies can be roasted and nuts can be toasted for more flavor and a variety in texture. Roast a fresh chili or bell pepper by placing the pepper on a direct flame (right in the burner or under a broiler) and allow to cook, turning, until the skin has blistered. If no direct flame is available, roast peppers on a baking sheet in the oven, on high heat (400 degrees F or higher). Place the roasted peppers in a plastic bag and allow to rest for several minutes. Remove from bag and peel, discarding the peel and seeds. Remember not to touch your eyes or face after chopping chilies, as the capsaicin in chilies is a major irritant..
Salsa Ingredient Combinations
Salsas can be sweet or savory. Try sweet combinations, such as strawberries, vinegar, sugar and black pepper or navel oranges, mango, chopped chili, chopped cilantro and lime juice. To a basic blend of chopped onions and chopped chilies, add a combination of several ingredients such as cooked beans, olives, parsley, cut corn, minced garlic, chopped pimentos (roasted red peppers), chopped fresh pineapple or canned, drained pineapple tidbits, mango, papaya, kiwi or banana, zucchini, crookneck squash or apples (for extra flavor, grill fruit or veggies, allow to cool and then chop), avocado, grapefruit or oranges or berries.
Storing Salsa
Salsas can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to two days. Think salsa instead of sauce or gravy for poultry, fish, seafood, beef, pork, vegetable and grain side dishes, chips or raw vegetables and dessert. Salsa can also be used instead of salad dressing!
Melon Salsa
This sweet-but-hot salsa is a good accompaniment to poultry, beef, fish and hot soups.
Makes about 2 cups of salsa
In a nonreactive bowl, combine all ingredients. Allow to chill for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Olive and Carrot Salsa
This Mediterranean salsa goes well with fish, seafood and poultry.
Makes about 2 cups
In a nonreactive bowl, combine all ingredients. Allow to chill for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Baked Banana Salsa
Use this salsa as a dessert sauce, served over ice milk, sorbet or soy ice cream, fruit salad or sliced angel food cake, or as a sauce for savory pork, chicken or duck
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Place whole bananas (in their skins) on a baking sheet and allow to roast for 20 minutes; skins will turn brown. Allow to cool.
Peel and dice bananas and place in a medium mixing bowl. Add remaining ingredients and toss gently until combined.
 | Mango salsa recipes go well with chips at lunch or grilled fish at dinner. They are also great with pork chops and in salads or mixed in with rice. By adding apples or other fresh fruit, such as pineapple, avocado, oranges or a little bit of coconut, you can create a taste that is reminiscent of the tropics. |
 | For a surprising salsa, consider strawberry fruit salsa recipes. Few would suspect such a sweet sun-ripened fruit as the strawberry would taste even more delicious if pepper or vinaigrette were added to it. |
Home made salsa has been a favorite for generations. Many families have a special family recipe that has been handed down to each family and they've continued on with the tradition of making their own salsa. |
Born and raised in southern Arizona, I developed a sense of what is considered good Mexican food at an early age. My mother, especially, was important in this development as she was one of the finest Mexican cooks I had ever known. |
Use this homemade salsa recipe as a dessert sauce, served over ice milk, sorbet, soy ice cream, fruit salad or sliced angel food cake. Making this easy salsa will also serve as a great sauce for savory pork, chicken or duck. |
