Strawberry Salsa
Makes 4-6 snacking portions | A fruity alternative to traditional salsa.
Juice and zest from 1 medium lime
1½ tsp. honey( optional as sweetener depending on the berries’ taste)
Pinch of fine sea salt 1 pint strawberries, washed, hulled, and diced
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped( or leave some seeds for more heat)
½ small red onion, chopped
½ c. fresh cilantro, chopped Fresh ground black pepper to taste Chips for serving
Quick Red Salsa
In large bowl, whisk together lime juice and zest, honey, and salt. Stir in strawberries, jalapeño, onion, and cilantro. Add pepper to taste and mix well. Add more lime, salt, and / or( optional) honey to taste. If strawberries are sweet and juicy, serve at once; if not, let salsa marinate for 30 or more minutes. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. Also good on crostini with feta or Boursin cheese and over grilled pork chops or chicken.
Yields 2 cups | Ready in 10 minutes and is great on tacos, huevos rancheros, breakfast burritos, scrambled eggs, and nachos.
1 15-oz. can diced fire-roasted tomatoes( it’ s essential they’ re fire-roasted)
1 clove garlic, roughly chopped ½ c. white onion, roughly chopped ¼ c. lightly packed fresh cilantro leaves
½ medium jalapeño pepper, roughly chopped, with seeds and ribs removed
1 tbsp. lime juice ½ tsp. fine sea salt
Corn and Black Bean Salsa( or Salad)
Serves 8-10 as salsa snack or 6 salad servings | Fresh corn is delicious in this recipe but can be substituted with 1½ cups frozen corn or an 8.75-ounce can of corn.
1 15 oz. can black beans 1 tsp. lime zest ⅓ c. lime juice, fresh 2 tbsp. white wine vinegar 1 tbsp. honey 2 tsp. Dijon mustard 3∕4 tsp. cumin 1 clove garlic, minced ½ medium jalapeño pepper, minced 8 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
Salt to taste 2 ears fresh corn, cooked ½ c. green onion, sliced 1 tbsp. cilantro, minced
Drain beans, rinse, and set aside. Whisk together lime zest and juice, white wine vinegar, honey, Dijon, cumin, garlic, and
Drain half the tomato juice from can, saving the other half. In a food processor, pulse garlic to chop it more finely. Add tomatoes and remaining juice from the can. Add onion, cilantro, jalapeño, lime juice, and salt. Process the mixture until mostly smooth( no large chunks remaining), scraping down sides as necessary. Season with added lime juice and salt if needed. Serve at once or let sit for a few hours. Salsa keeps well in the refrigerator, covered, for about 10 days.
jalapeño. Whisk in olive oil. Adjust seasoning to your liking, adding salt to taste. Cut corn off ears and add to separate mixing bowl with black beans, green onion, and cilantro. Toss with the vinaigrette. Let mixture sit, refrigerated, for one hour or up to 24 hours. Great as a salsa with chips, as a side salad by itself, or in wraps or lettuce rolls.
Baked Tortilla Chips
Makes 64 chips | A healthier way to enjoy chips and salsa.
16 corn tortillas 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil ½ tsp. fine-grain sea salt or 1 tsp. flaky sea salt
Preheat oven to 400 ° with racks in uppermiddle and lower-middle positions. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Lightly brush both sides of each tortilla with olive oil. Stack the tortillas, 4 at once, and slice them into 8 wedges. Repeat with remaining tortillas, for 64 triangles. Divide the wedges between the two baking sheets and arrange evenly in pans( it’ s OK for chips to overlap; they shrink during baking). Sprinkle salt evenly over both pans. Bake, swapping pans on racks after 5 minutes, until chips are curling up at the edges and starting to turn golden on the edges, around 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool and serve.
FUN SALSA FACTS
• The origin of salsa dates back to the time of the Aztecs, Incas, and Mayans. The name, though, came from a Spanish priest named Alonso de Molina in 1571, and translates to“ sauce.”
• National Salsa Month was started in 1997 by the Pace company to celebrate its 50th anniversary.
• The USDA categorizes salsa as a vegetable.
• Salsa was once the number one condiment in the U. S. Mayonnaise now holds that title, but estimates still suggest that about 224.64 million Americans used store-bought salsa in 2024.
Kathy Patrick is a retired software sales professional and personal chef in Rome, Georgia. She loves cooking, traveling, waterskiing, stand-up paddling, and bicycle trips with her husband, Berry College professor Martin Cipollini. Patrick has served as a board member of the Rome Little Theatre and the Georgia chapter of The American Chestnut Foundation. nwgeorgialiving. com | 37