Being born and raised in Southern California you are exposed to enormous amounts of salsa. It is almost like it is in your blood because of the volumes consumed on a regular basis. In our house, we always have salsa in the refrigerator, and I just love to eat it traditionally with tortilla chips, or on top of salads, a spoonful on eggs, or scoop it up with fresh veggies. For most people salsa comes from a jar, but in the Summer months it’s time to make your own Summer Tomato Salsa.
During Summertime, tomatoes are in true abundance and available everywhere. Heirloom tomatoes, or tomatoes grown from historic seeds, make great salsa, but you don’t need to get fancy – any tomato will do. The trick to great salsa is of course great tomatoes, but a nice spicy jalapeno or serrano chile, and a little citrus from a squeeze of lime or lemon. As far as herbs go – yes you can use cilantro, which is traditional in most recipes, but you might want to add something a little more exotic like fresh oregano or basil, for a fresh twist.
You can serve this Summer Tomato Salsa with almost anything, especially over grilled fish and chicken, or dip into it with grilled artichokes and zucchini. What matters most is that you make a large batch, while tomatoes are in their peak season, and enjoy the true flavors of Summer.
Ingredients
2 pounds fresh tomatoes, any variety
1 jalapeno
1/3 of red onion
juice of 1 lime
2 sprigs fresh oregano, basil or cilantro
1 teaspoon salt
(Makes about 1 quart)
To Prepare:
1. Wash and dry all the vegetables. Chop the tomatoes and red onion into a chunky dice. Finely dice the jalapeno, if you can’t handle heat, remove the seeds from half the pepper. Rough chop the herbs of choice.
2. Place all the veggies into a 1 quart container with fitted lid. Add the salt to the top of the veggies.
3. Add the juice of 1 lime over the top of the salt and stir to combine.
4. Serve immediately or let it chill in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Enjoy!
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