Gastronomous

Summer and roadside produce stands seems to hand in hand. Local farmers have plentiful bounties and are always willing to sell straight to the customer ! We all love the idea of a bargain, but when I read the sign ” all local organic produce” , “fresh herbs”  and “plum tomatoes” I had to stop!

For days  I’d been thinking on how to vamp up the flavor of our grilled chicken breast  without the use of a grilling sauce  and there it was: fresh tomatoes, herbs, fresh peppers  and spring (green onions). Mix up, serve as a dipping side and yum, yum, yum!

The man had harvested the goods that same morning. Oh what a treat it was… the freshest, truest flavor of salsa I’ve ever had. It’s simple, has 4 ingredients and is chock full of flavor. Careful handling the Jalapeno  , it could irritate sensitive skins! The actual heat of the pepper is concentrated in the seeds and  white stuffs inside the pepper, so discard if you like less heat, or leave it all in for a fiesta in your mouth. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

4 red plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped
4 green onions, finely chopped
1 medium jalapeno pepper, finely chopped ( leave seeds and white out for less heat)
2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
Salt to taste

Mix the tomatoes and shallots in a bowl, toss in the cilantro and salt. Mix in jalapeno to taste. Serve immediately. This salsa can be kept refrigerated for up to 3 days.

How we love guacamole! But how do we not love the store-bought weird grey- looking stuff! Our quest for the perfect guacamole started a couple of years ago thanks to the generosity ( and overstock) of a neighbors guacamole tree. Although avocados might have a bad rap or being fatty,  they contain 0 trans fats and do contain 20 vitamins a a cargo load of minerals such as potassium.  In our search for the perfect flavor we discovered a couple of useful facts: you MUST use lime, lemons an guacamole do not jive, and second: you must use fresh peppers. Use serrano peppers if you prefer mild, use jalapenos is you prefer a bit more spice.  ENJOY!

Ingredients: (for 2 cups)

2 large ripe avocados
3 firm medium tomatoes, diced
3 jalapenos or Serrano peppers, finely chopped
1 medium sweet yellow onion, chopped
1 green onion with the stalk, chopped
the juice of 1/2 or 1 lime
salt to taste

Cut the avocados in half, remove the seeds. Using a spoon, scoop out the flesh and place it in a large mixing bowl. Add the lemon juice and mix. Place the diced tomatoes and onions into the bowl, mix well and add jalapenos and salt to taste, depending on the desired spiciness. Toss all the ingredients together evenly. Let stand for 10 minutes to let the flavors blend. Taste for salt and spiciness. As with all salsas, if too mild add more peppers; if too spicy, add more tomatoes

Use as a dip or as a condiment for fajitas and grilled meats.

What to spice it up without adding mega-calories? This salsa will definitely do it! If you never made salsa, don’t worry :it’s quick and easy and has very few ingredients. Take your time to make your own salsa it is really worth it, The flavors exude to compliment the best of fire-roasted chicken, steak or mahi-mahi

This Recipe was given to us by “MasterChef RoD” the definite king  of spicy chiles.  Thank you oh great master of spice for showing us the right way to spice!

Ingredients:( for one cup of salsa)
2 tomatoes, peeled
1 jalapeno with seeds
1 green onion white and green parts
4 or 5 stalks cilantro
1 or 2 cloves fresh garlic ( the fresher the better)
1 pinch sea salt
1 Tbsp lime juice

Chop all ingredients into 1/4 inch bits. Mix in a large bowl and let cool in refrigerator for about 20 minutes. Serve at once, since it is not recommended to save. Those who like it hot, add two Thai-Sri Lanka peppers per tomato. Serve with salt free blue corn chips or as a compliment to fire roasted meats. Enjoy!

Talk about fusion cuisine! Lemongrass is a wonderful herb ( technically a grass) ;  it  is typically used  to flavor dishes in South East Asian cuisine. So what is it doing in a Salsa?  Normally, I would use lime to brighten the dish; but one day, I made salsa and hadn’t a lime in sight! Low and behold there was fresh lemongrass in the fridge, so I gave it a try. To my surprise,  the lemongrass gave a wonderful citrusy flavor to the dish. The result was so unique and delicious it is now a favorite.

Make it as chucky or as smooth as you like, but just make enough to use immidiately since the lemongrass will make the flavor of the salsa change once refrigerated.

Try on chicken, salmon or turkey burgers for a real treat!  

Ingredients: (for 1 cup salsa)

3 Roma tomatoes, diced
1/2 cup chopped red onions
2 Tbls parsley, chopped
1 Tbls fresh lemongrass, chopped
juice of 1 lime
2 Tbls olive oil
1 chopped jalapeno pepper
salt and ground pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients except the jalapeno, in a mixing bowl, mix enough jalapeno pepper to suite your taste.  Taste often adjusting for heat . Once you have the flavor just right , let rest for 10 to 15 minutes at room temperature before serving.

Remember to just make the quantity you will need and not extra since the flavor will change.

This is an authentic Mexican salsa; great served with ceviche, seafood, fajita tacos or pan seared meats. Pico de gallo can also be scrambled together with eggs for “Huevos a la Mexicana,” just be sure to leave out the lemon juice if you try this. For a spicy surprise, mix pico de gallo with fresh avocado

Ingredients:

3 firm medium tomatoes
1 green onion with the stalk, chopped
3 jalapenos or serrano peppers, finely chopped
1/2 cup chopped cilantro (about ½ bunch)
1 medium sweet yellow onion
salt to taste

Dice the tomatoes and onions into little cubes and place them in a large mixing bowl. Add the cilantro and jalapenos to taste, depending on the desired spiciness. Add the sweet onion, the green onion and the salt. Toss all the ingredients together evenly. Let stand for 10 minutes to let the flavors blend. Taste again for salt and spiciness. As with all salsas, if too mild add more peppers; if too spicy, add more tomatoes

Optional: if served with seafood or fajitas, add a bit of fresh lemon or lime juice.