Project Foodie - Seductive Salsas

Seductive Salsas

Spicy, zesty, tangy, sweet or just down right hot - salsa is the quintessential accompaniment for everything from tortilla chips to salads to quesadillas to a great steak. No wonder jars of salsa line the shelves at grocery stores. Yet, the best way to explore salsa is by making your own. Homemade salsa combines all that is great about salsa with fresh vegetables and fruit creating a taste sensation. The catch is that you need fresh ingredients and equally important a great salsa recipe. You'll have to seek out the fresh ingredients yourself but for the great salsa recipes check out "Seductive Salsas" by Gwyneth Doland. This little book is packed with a large variety of salsas including many tomato based, pepper based, and fruit based salsas. In "Seductive Salsas", Gwyneth Doland introduces not only the ingredients and techniques to make these salsas but also gives suggestions on when to serve them. While the recipes involve a bit of prep work to cut up the vegetables or fruit, overall they are quick and easy to prepare. They are also well worth the effort. But be warned once you make one of Gwyneth's salsas you may never want to buy store bought salsa again!

Most of the recipes in "Seductive Salsa" make about 2 cups of salsa. Now that may seem like a lot of salsa if you compare it to how long a store bought jar sits in your fridge but take it from me the salsa will go faster than you expect. In my case, the first salsa I made was so delicious it disappeared within a day! One example recipe from "Seductive Salsa" is Confetti Dill Salsa which combines sweet and hot peppers with shallots and dill into not only a pretty but also a very tasty salsa that, as Gwyneth says, can be served with "chips or sprinkled over cooked fish, or mix it with a little olive oil and some canned tuna for a colorful tuna salad".

Confetti Dill Salsa

From Seductive Salsa by Gwyneth Doland, Cook West 2007

Makes about 2 cups

1/2 red bell pepper, finely diced
1/2 yellow bell pepper, finely diced
1/2 orange bell pepper, finely diced
1-3 serrano chiles, finely diced
2 shallots, finely diced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
Juice of 1 lime or lemon
Salt

This salsa is prettiest when you dice everything into 1/4-inch-square pieces. It takes time, but people will appreciate it! Serve the salsa with chips or sprinkled over cooked fish, or mix it with a little olive oil and some canned tuna for a colorful tuna salad.

In a bowl, toss together the red, yellow, and orange bell peppers, serrano chiles, shallots, and dill. Season to taste with lime or lemon juice and salt.

About Seductive Salsa

Toss out that drab old store-bought stuff! Salsa is one of America's favorite condiments, and one which Western cooks often make from scratch. This new addition to the Cook West Series will inspire home chefs to create their own zesty homemade salsa from fresh fruits and vegetables spiked with piquant herbs and spices. Any one of these 50 recipes will jazz up a meal with a burst of colors and tastes, ranging from traditional Mexican Salsa Roja and Salsa Verde to the more unusual Grilled Watermelon and Basil Salsa or Cucumber, Melon, and Mint Salsa. 24 color photos.