Salsa Mex A Saucy Splash

May 4 2008 Michael Kilkie

Food

Is your diet in need of a little zing? Then it's time you learned to salsawhich is a dead cert to have your tastebuds dancing in anticipation of those fresh flavours.

Most people think of salsa just as something to go with Mexican food but the dish can be so much more than that.

Don't get me wrong, today's three salsa recipes go great with a bowl of tortilla chips but they are a lot more versatile than that.

A nice piece of fresh fish with a spoonful of salsa makes an excellent meal, needing nothing more than baby new potatoes or a bit of salad to accompany it.

Likewise a bit of chicken that would be smothered in a rich sauce in winter can be brought to life with a serving of fresh salsa come summer.

And when it's time to dust down the barbecue again, a bowl of salsa is a great accompaniment for everything...even the burgers and bangers.

My recipes today are for three great homemade salsas which are fresh and vibrant and very easy to make. They are brilliant if you want something to lighten up your diet, packed full of fresh, zingy flavours containing only the best ingredients.

The key to these salsas is to source the freshest ingredients possible. Make sure your key ingredients are nice and ripe and juicy.

If they are over-ripe they will just turn to mush but beware of using under-ripe produce - especially tomatoes, avocados and mangos - as they will be rock hard.

Another good tip is to make your salsa in advance - but not too far, three or four hours max - to give the flavours time to mingle.

The mixture is best left in the fridge while this happens then brought back to room temperature for 20 minutes before serving.

The citrus juice added - whether it be lime or lemon - will help stop the ingredients such as avocado and mango discolouring as well as adding sharpness.

The cherry tomato and olive salsa is delicious cold but also works really well warm, particularly with fish. You don't want it to be boiling hot, just warm it gently in a pan to allow the flavours to work together then spoon over the fish. The warm salsa also makes a really simple sauce for pasta. Just toss it through with a handful of freshly-grated parmesan, really simple but tasty.

MANGO SALSA

2 mangos, peeled, stoned and finely diced

1 red onion, peeled and finely diced

2 red chillies, finely chopped

Zest and juice of 2 limes

Large handful fresh, chopped coriander

Salt and pepper to taste

TOMATO SALSA

1 punnet cherry tomatoes, quartered

1 tub stoned olives

2 cloves garlic, crushed

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 tsp white wine vinegar

Large handful fresh, chopped basil

Salt and pepper to taste

AVOCADO SALSA

2 avocados, peeled, stoned and chopped

4 roasted red peppers chopped from a jar or home-roasted (see panel)

Juice and zest 1 lemon

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp honey

Large handful freshly chopped mint

Salt and pepper to taste

METHOD

For all three salsas, mix all the ingredients well and allow to sit in the fridge for a couple of hours before serving. It's as easy as that. To roast your own peppers, place them under a really hot grill or over the gas flame of the hob allowing the skin to blister and blacken.

Turn frequently until all the sides are charred. Place the peppers in a bowl, cover tightly with clingfilm and leave like this for 10 minutes to cool.

The steam from the peppers will loosen the skin and allow you to peel the skin off easily and remove the seeds.