Fuyu Persimmon Salsa
December 30, 2012
Some people have all the luck, like a few weeks ago when I came home to a ginormous bag of Fuyu persimmons and Meyer lemons on my front porch. I love each of these fruits and am lucky enough to have a friend who is happy to share the bounty from her trees. Since then I have done my best to make a strong dent in the harvest, despite the fact that my family members have all opted out of the challenge. After weeks of nibbling and a double batch of our long-time favorite Fuyu Persimmon Chutney failed to exhaust my fruit supply, I began to question my luck. I cannot stand for food to go to waste, and yet there were just so many persimmons. That is when it occurred to me that when life gives you just about any fruit, it is almost always a good idea to make salsa!
Fuyu Persimmon Salsa marries the slight sweetness of firm fleshed Fuyu persimmons with the savory goodness of garlic, a little heat from a spot of ginger, and a pop of acid from Meyer lemon. While I would not turn down an opportunity to scoop this onto a crispy tortilla chip, this salsa is perhaps better paired with seared fish or roast chicken. Its bright fresh flavors are just the thing to erase the memory of one (or more) too many Christmas cookies.
Do you have a favorite persimmon recipe? If so, please share in the comments below!
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Mango Avocado Salsa
May 9, 2012
One of the many wonderful things about salsa is there are no shortage of excuses to make it. Any time of year, any weather, any occasion, there is a salsa to fit the bill. This most recent concoction folded beautifully into a pre-Cinco de Mayo/ baby shower (yes, Fresh Lime Margaritas were included, of course! ).
Mango Avocado Salsa combines sweet tart mango with creamy avocado spiked with red onion and jalapeño and doused with lime. This palate pleasing mix is equally at home on a piece of grilled salmon or chicken as it is on a tortilla chip or quesadilla. It is the kind of dip that makes you want to whip up another batch as soon as the first is gobbled up. If you are unsure how to cut a mango check out this post. I would love to hear what creative ways you come up with to serve this salsa!
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Chunky Garden Salsa
September 27, 2011
This has been our best tomato year ever. Quite a shocker given the cool summer, but in our tiny garden we have a bona fide bounty of tomatoes this year. They spill from their bowls, piling up in every free space the kitchen counters can afford. These tomatoes have been taunting me. After a wait that tested every ounce of my patience, they began coming in heavy just at the time the other parts of my life asserted their own demands. The kids, the family gatherings, and oh, my job that actually pays the bills, all take their cut of my precious time before I get to the satisfying job of canning. But this weekend was made for me and the tomatoes.
Starting early in the morning, I prepared a “ketchup” that we all agreed is delicious, but not ketchup. Luckily, instead of an outright rejection, my son suggested we rename it and came up with “Rojo Sauce”. Perfect. Another lug of tomatoes went into a basic tomato sauce, and the last load into Chunky Garden Salsa.
To be honest, I have not had great success with canned salsas in the past. Each recipe I used seemed have one of two problems: the salsa was too watery and/ or the specified canned lemon juice gave the entire batch a foul artificial taste. This recipe takes care of each of those issues and demonstrates some serious tasty flavors. Instead of simply peeling the tomatoes, I grilled them to lend a bit of a charred flavor. After skinning and removing the core, the tomatoes drain in a colander which removes most of the excess water and allows the salsa to easily thicken up on the stove. In place of lemon juice, the recipe called for half white vinegar and half lime juice. This gives it a perfect acidity and delicious flavor from the lime. My only complaint is that I only ended up with five pints. These are sure to go fast around our salsa-loving house.
My Pantry Shelf 