Spicy Mango Peach Salsa

There’s something about summer that makes me crave nothing but grilled vegetables and meats with fresh salsas. I went to the market this morning and saw that peaches and mangos were both on sale. Score! I like to keep my mango peach salsa very simple by dressing it with freshly squeezed orange juice and a dash of agave. For a milder salsa, use a jalapeno pepper in place of the serrano. Serve this sweet and spicy salsa over grilled halibut with grilled asparagus drizzled with a bit of balsamic vinegar for a great summer meal that gets you out of the kitchen.

What You Need:

1 small mango (about 1 1/3 cups), diced
1 small peach, diced
1/3 cup cilantro, minced
¼ cup red onion, diced
¼ cup red bell pepper, diced
½ serrano pepper, minced (remove seeds for a more mild salsa)
Juice of ½ an orange
1 tsp agave or honey
1/8 tsp kosher salt
1/8 tsp freshly cracked black pepper



What To Do:

Combine all ingredients and refrigerate until ready to serve. This salsa can be made a day ahead. 

Serve over grilled halibut with grilled asparagus.

Serves 4



Bon Appétit!
Mary

Salsa Verde

A tomatillo is a fruit with a paper like covering that must be removed before cooking. Simply peel off the husk and rinse with warm water to remove the sticky substance that’s on the fruit beneath the husk. Like the tomato salsa I posted last week, I like to grill the vegetables for my salsa verde to give it a deeply charred flavor. This salsa verde is very spicy and smoky. If you’re not big on spicy food, I would reduce the amount of serrano peppers from three to one.  If you don't have an outdoor grill, roast tomatillo, serrano and sweet onion in the oven at 400* until well browned, about 30-40 minutes.  This salsa tastes best when made a day ahead. Serve with grilled fish and a green salad.

What You Need:

1 lb tomatillos, husked and rinsed with warm water
1 sweet onion, cut into ½” rings & leaving skin on
3 serrano peppers
4 green onions, thinly sliced
3-4 small cloves garlic (to taste), grated or minced
1 small bunch cilantro (about ½ cup)
Juice of 1 lime
1 tsp cumin
1/8 tsp kosher salt
1/8 tsp freshly cracked black pepper





What To Do:

Grill tomatillos, sweet onion and serrano peppers on an outdoor grill over medium low heat for 15 minutes or until well browned.

Combine all ingredients, except green onions, in a blender and process until smooth.

Fold in green onions. Refrigerate until chilled, about two hours. I recommend making this salsa the day before to allow the flavors to meld.

Serve over grilled fish with a green salad.



Bon Appétit!
Mary

Roasted Tomato Salsa

On our way out to King’s Canyon, my husband, his Uncle and I stopped at a Mexican joint to grab some lunch before we began our long assent into the mountains. Hurrah for a non-chain eating establishment! They had a fresh salsa bar that had a wide variety of mild to extremely spicy (habenaro) salsas. My favorite was the roasted tomato and I knew upon first taste that I would be recreating this one at home. Inspired by all the camp fire cooking on our trip, I decided I wanted to char the vegetables on the grill to maximize the roasty charred flavor in the final product. I leave the onion skin’s on to help hold the rings together while grilling and peel them off before blending. Serve with grilled fish and oven roasted broccoli.

What You Need:

1 lb roma tomatoes
1 sweet onion, cut into 1” rings (skin left on)
3 jalapeños
3-4 (to taste) small cloves garlic, grated or minced
1 small bunch cilantro, roughly chopped
Juice of one lime
1/8 tsp freshly cracked black pepper or to taste
1/8 tsp kosher salt or to taste
5 green onions, thinly sliced



What To Do:

Heat outdoor grill with lid on over high heat. Once the grill is hot, reduce heat to medium low. Char tomatoes, jalapeños and onion rings for about 20 minutes, rotating periodically to ensure even cooking.

Put all ingredients except green onions in a blender and pulse until combined, but still chunky.

Add green onions and stir. Serve chilled or warm over grilled fish, chicken, tofu or shrimp with oven roasted broccoli.

The longer it sits, the better it tastes.


Bon Appétit!
Mary

Seared Ahi Tuna with Pineapple Salsa

There are some days when finding an inspiration for a dish is more challenging than others. When I walked into Trader Joe’s hunting for the ingredients for last night’s dinner I was having one of those days. As I headed back to the meats, I passed the refrigerated section and this beautifully fresh cut pineapple. Hmm… Rounding the corner, the very first thing that caught my eye was two of the most beautiful pieces of tuna. Ah ha! Inspiration found. There are two key ways to create a great sear. One is using a timer to get your sear on. If you try and wing it, you will inevitably have an uneven sear as each side has not been cooked for the exact same amount of time. The second is a really hot pan. I can’t take credit for this method. I give props to my girl Ina Garten for this one. I love how colorful the salsa looks on top of the tuna steaks. Giada de Laurentiis says that you eat with your eyes first and I concur! This light and tangy dish goes perfectly with a side of steamed brown jasmine rice and roasted asparagus. If you’re not a fan of cilantro, leave it out, I think it would still be delicious.

What You Need:

2 Ahi tuna steaks

Extra virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste
Hot sauce to taste
Soy sauce, optional
1 recipe pineapple salsa, recipe follows

What To Do:

Brush Ahi with oil while you heat a large skillet over high heat. Season tuna with salt and pepper. Once pan is hot, add steaks and turn down heat to medium high (salt and pepper side down) and set a timer for 3 minutes. Brush top of Ahi with oil and season with salt and pepper. After your timer does off, flip and set timer again for 3 minutes.

Once tuna is done, serve with salsa, soy sauce and hot sauce.

Serves 2

Bon Appétit

Mary!

Pineapple Salsa

What You Need:

1 cup pineapple, small dice

¼ cup red bell pepper, small dice

1/8 cup red onion, minced
¼ lightly packed cilantro, minced
Juice of ½ a lime

What To Do:

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and stir to combine. Set aside.