Showing posts with label salsa. Show all posts
Showing posts with label salsa. Show all posts

Saturday, August 5, 2017

Ricardo’s Avocado & Grilled Corn Salsa


The late Mr. O-P was from New Jersey. Every year when we’d visit his friends and family, we always planned our visits to coincide with the arrival of the sweet corn and tomatoes. He used to talk constantly about how good the corn and tomatoes were in the State of New Jersey, but, like everyone who loves their home state, I thought it was just talk. Boy, was I wrong! I've never had such good corn and tomatoes as I did during those trips. I won't be going back to New Jersey for a while, and, sadly, won't get to taste the wonderful mid-summer produce, but I have been enjoying our local varieties.
The corn crop seemed particularly good this year, and I have been fixing it in as many ways possible. Today's offering is for a grilled corn and avocado salsa, a recipe from Canadian chef, Ricardo, appearing in the summer issue of his magazine of the same name. Here, two of my favorite vegetables are combined to make for one delicious dish. Every bite is fresh, crunchy, and tastes like summer.
This is an easy one to put together, and if you don't have a grill, you can char the corn over a gas flame on your stove, or pop it into the broiler to replicate that great grilled taste. In addition to being a tasty dip for chips, crudités, and crackers, it also makes an excellent topping for tacos and summer soups. Try it! You know you want to.
Ricardo’s Avocado & Grilled Corn Salsa

2 ears corn, husked, grilled, and cut from cob
1 avocado, diced
2 T. lime juice
¼ cup chopped cilantro
1 scallion, finely chopped
½ jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Combine all ingredients and serve immediately. (If I'm feeling particularly playful, I'll add a pinch of cumin.)
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Friday, July 29, 2016

Roasted Red Pepper Relish


It has been one hot summer. So hot, in fact, that I have yet to be able to use the grill. Today it was 89°F with a light breeze, and felt downright cool, so I figured it was probably as good a time as any to fire up the grill. I had nothing thawed, and only a package of Nathan's Jumbo Beef Franks in the fridge that would be suitable, but a hot dog seemed fine, particularly with baseball there for the watching on TV. After a brief rummage through the fridge, I realized that I had no decent toppings other than mustard for my grilled dog. I did have, as I always do, a jar of Melissa's Fire Roasted Sweet Red Bell Peppers in the pantry, and remembered a recipe I'd seen a long time ago for making relish out of peppers. Why not, I thought, so I set to work.

I really had no idea what I was doing here. I sort of channeled my mother and her legendary chili sauce on a smaller scale, subbing the peppers for tomatoes. Talk about an overwhelming success! I liked this so much that I could have easily eaten it as a main dish and just forgotten the hot dog.

This is easy to make, puts jarred relish to absolute shame, and is sure to be a winner. Give it a try.
Roasted Red Pepper Relish
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 7-ounce jar
Melissa's Fire Roasted Sweet Red Bell Peppers
drained and chopped
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
Pinch of ground cloves, trust me
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil and sauté onions and garlic until onions are tender, stirring frequently, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in red peppers and allow to heat for 1-2 minutes.

While onions are cooking, combine vinegar and sugar in small bowl, stirring until sugar dissolves. Stir vinegar mixture into red peppers along with mustard, cloves, salt, and cayenne pepper. Cook until liquid has evaporated, stirring frequently, about 4 minutes. Cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate.

Yield: 2 cups

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Monday, January 11, 2016

Avocado Mango Salsa



Three unique mango varieties from Australia’s summer harvest are now available in the U.S. for the first time ever, thanks to the good people at Melissa’s Produce. They are available now through March, so run, don't walk to your local market to get some because, trust me when I tell you, you have never tasted a sweeter, juicier mango than these. Perfect for use in smoothies or blended drinks and cocktails, they are also wonderful when added to salads, or used as the main ingredient in salsas.
Mr. O-P. has recently needed to watch his carbs, so we’ve been enjoying a lot of wrap sandwiches. This salsa (that, truth be told, I have also eaten as a side salad) proved a delicious addition to wraps containing turkey, chicken, taco meat, or when used in a combination with other vegetables such as shredded lettuce, and steamed and blanched asparagus.

Avocado Mango Salsa

1 ripe Melissa’s Australian mango, peeled, seeded, diced
1 tomato, seeded, diced
2 green onions, minced
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/2 jalapeno chili, minced
½ Tablespoon minced cilantro
1 avocado, peeled, seeded, diced

Combine all ingredients EXCEPT avocado in bowl. (Can be made ahead and refrigerated.)

Just before serving, stir in diced avocado and season to taste with salt and pepper.

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Wednesday, May 13, 2015

Mango Salsa



Did somebody say mangoes? I guess it was me...yesterday...when I was telling you how to make a Mango Margarita.  Still wrapped up in my mango craze, today I made Mango Salsa.  If you've never tried mango salsa then you are in for a real treat. It is fruity and spicy at the same time.  Crispy, fresh, complex, and so versatile that you can stir it into mashed avocado for a refreshing guacamole, use it as a relish on hot dogs or turkey sandwiches, toss it into a green salad for some fruity zing, scoop up an ample portion with a homemade tortilla chip, or do as I did this evening, and mound it on top of freshly grilled salmon. In the winter I like the mustard sauces on salmon, in the summer I like it simple...grilled and topped with this tasty salsa.

Generally I don't use a recipe, just chop up what I have on hand (jalapenos and cilantro is a must for this, and, of course, mangoes!), and toss it all together until, as my grandmother used to say,
it looks right.”  Even the picky Mr. O-P enjoyed this salsa that is both hot and cool at the same time.

Mango Salsa

2 tablespoons apricot jam
1 Tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
1 cup mango (I used a Melissa’s Ataulfo mango),
seeded, peeled and chopped
1/3 cup red bell pepper, finely chopped
¼ cup chopped red onion
1 Tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped
1 jalapeno, diced (remove the seeds or not, depending upon your heat tolerance)
Salt and pepper to taste

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the jam and lime juice until thoroughly blended; set aside.

Fold remaining ingredients into jam mixture just until blended.  Serve immediately.
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