Contributed by Ann Martin
With summer in full swing, how I love the fresh summer goodness that is produced from Mother Nature! My favorite summer produce are tomatoes. And really though, there are so many ways to eat tomatoes: right from the garden, grilled, roasted, etc. This fruit (or vegetable as some believe), is truly versatile.
Since garden-fresh tomatoes are in peak season right now, I am constantly looking for new recipes where tomatoes are incorporated. Since I enjoy snacking on salsa and chips, I decided to see if I could make my own salsa instead of always buying the jarred version. Oh my! The freshness and flavors were just pouring out of the salsa and made my mouth sing! To make a homemade salsa, you really just need a few basic ingredients, which can be easily found at a local farmer’s market or at your local grocer. Here is a simple and basic homemade salsa recipe to try for yourself. Grab a back of your favorite tortilla chips to throw in your Noritake colorwave bowl and serve up this delicious, yet healthy snack of homemade salsa.
Homemade Salsa Recipe
Ingredients:
- 2 cups seeded, chopped tomatoes (which is about 6-7 medium tomatoes)
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves, finely chopped
- 6 cloves fresh chopped garlic
- ½ an onion coarsely chopped
- 1 jalapeno, finely chopped – seeded and deveined
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
Mix all ingredients well. Refrigerate overnight for full flavor.
Once you try to make your own salsa, you’ll see how easy it is and how your taste buds will reap the reward! After I made my first batch, I promised myself that I would never buy jarred salsa again! I am certain that you will feel the same way too! Since I enjoy salsa so much, I decided to get creative and see what other recipes where out there for homemade salsa. Remember, sometimes all you need is a base recipe and you can then add a number of variations to the recipe to create something new and tasty!
- Instead of using the traditional herb, cilantro, try some others for variation, such as: basil, mint or parsley.
- With an assortment of chili peppers available, why not break free from jalapenos and try a red chili?
- Substitute various other fruits for the tomatoes like: cantaloupe, mango, peaches, and pineapple.
- To add more texture to a homemade salsa, throw in some avocado, black beans, or corn.
Remember, when making your own salsa, you control how much of what goes into the recipe. So be creative and play with the recipe, especially when it comes to the salt and sweet aspect of the recipe. If you like salsa to have a bit more heat, don’t be afraid of adding a few shakes of hot sauce either. Go ahead make up a batch of homemade salsa, put some tortilla chips out on some dinnerware, call and invite your friends over to sample your first batch of homemade salsa. Don’t forget to call me too!
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I have been making salsa (your way) at home for a very long time, and I agree with you that it is the best way to have salsa!
I also at times scald the tomatoes, peel off the skin, and make a coarse mash then add all the other stuff…usually cilantro-mint (fresh) combo, onions, green/red chillies etc. We call this a ‘Tamatar Kachumber’ and usually have it along with a pulao.
Recently I tried roasting a whole tomato over a flame and then peeled off the skin and proceeded with a salsa/ kachumber…it was delicious and had a nice flavour!
Your recipe makes it sound easy and enjoyable to make Salsa. Yes nice with ingrediants like capisum peppers thrown in, too many and thesee will mask the tomatoe flavours. Roasted charbroiled tomatoes lend unique flavour too.
Nice with Popadams, or as side dish with Indian dishes – or just with pringles! Enjoyed reading about your simple effective recipe. Thanks for sharing.