Fresh Salsa: Easy, Fast and Delicious

_{Image above: Salsa mexicana, photo by  Armando Maynez on Flickr, licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic}

Chile peppers: they come in all different varieties and heat intensities. Some are mild and smokey; some will burn a trail down your throat! You can get fresh chile peppers and dried chile peppers; you can roast them either way to add depth to their flavor or add them fresh for crunch and raw power.

Dried chile peppers can be used in several ways in salsas. You may grill or roast them first, and then soak in hot water for 20-30 minutes to soften. Leaving in the seeds will intensity their heat. Experiment and find which types of chiles and hot peppers you like best with different fruits; I find I like dried, red chiles like Fresno or Chipotle with tropical fruit like pineapple and mango to add a smoky element; fresh serrano and jalapenos seem just suited for tomato-based salsas.

The main thing is to find something to balance the sweetness of the fruit with the spiciness of the pepper. Taste, sample and learn about the many varieties of dried and fresh chiles available today and you'll start to see which flavors work best together.

Just about all salsas call for some kind of acidic ingredient as part of their flavor profile. That generally means either lemon or lime juice, although other recipes may call for red wine or apple cider vinegar for a different kind of flavor.

Which should you use? For the freshest, liveliest taste with primarily raw ingredients I generally prefer citrus juice (and possibly a bit of grated lime or lemon zest as well.) Sometimes a cooked salsa works best with vinegar, or one you are going to let rest and blend together for several hours or overnight before serving.

Most versions of salsa will also include some edible member of the Allium family: that is, onions, scallions, chives, shallots and/or garlic. These pungent ingredients pack a "punch" and often add a touch of crunch as well as their strong flavor to a salsa.

That said, onion varieties and garlic should not be over-used in a salsa and should be added in harmony with other ingredients. As someone with an intolerance to raw garlic, I generally leave it out of my salsas or only use it if roasted or sauteed first—this makes the flavor more complex and mellow as well. Onions can be added raw or after roasting on a grill pan to give them a smoky element; soaking raw onion in cold water for 15 minutes before mixing in to a salsa can also take out some of the pungency that can upset some stomachs.

Scallions (green onions) and chives may be preferable when you want to add a very mild onion element as well as a touch of green; I like scallions in pomegranate salsa or with stone fruit, and red onion with yellow fruit like mango for the color contrast.

Another element you'll find in most salsas is some kind of green herb, most commonly cilantro. Also known as coriander, this plant is used in all kinds of culinary applications as its leaves (most commonly used in salsa), stems and seeds are all edible and tasty. Cilantro tends to add a slightly citrus flavor to dishes, which explains why it so often works so well in salsas.

But some people hate cilantro, finding it has a "soapy" flavor (it's likely a genetic thing.) And there's no need to limit yourself as other green herbs can work well in salsas, too and give it different touches of flavor. For a more Italian-style salsa, try using flat-leaf parsley or fresh basil instead of cilantro, especially for a tomato-based or more savory-than-sweet salsa. Or, use fresh mint for a more Mediterranean flair when making a salsa from mango, pineapple, or summer stone fruit.

Another option? Combine cilantro and parsley, parsley and basil, or cilantro and mint for a more complex balance.

Finally, there's one ingredient that you'll need to add to just about every salsa: salt!

No, don't try to get around it; salt enhances flavor and at least a small pinch is needed (sometimes more than that) to really make your salsa's flavor sing. The more savory your salsa, the more you'll want to add salt, although even a very fruity mango or peach salsa can benefit from a light sprinkle before serving. Just add it slowly as a final ingredient, and allow time for the ingredients to blend and merge together before adjusting the final seasoning.

Try, however, to use a good quality sea salt or even a smoked, flavored salt to give your salsa a unique edge. I love the specialty salts from Salts of the Earth, which are perfect as finishing seasonings and offer such unique varieties as Carolina Hickory Smoked and Habanero Lovers—perfect for hot 'n spicy salsas!

Beyond these six elemental factors, there are other ingredients you might consider adding to your salsa to make them more substantial or add a different element of flavor.

Beans

You can add cooked beans to a salsa to turn it into a more substantial side dish or "dips" for chips, especially if you want to make a light yet nutritious vegetarian meal or side dish. Black beans and black-eyed peas work especially well in such uses because of their delicate size and dramatic colors.

Bell peppers

Peppers in a salsa don't have to be spicy; sweet bell peppers in a variety of colors can be added to bring an additional crisp and summer flavor to a salsa. You can also char the peppers over a grill or under a broiler to soften them and add a richer flavor.

Sugar or Honey

Some fruit-based salsas can benefit from a little extra touch of sweetness—even in lieu of adding any salt. I have sometimes found this to be the case with berry-based salsas and others where the sweet-and-spicy flavors need to take precedence over any savory elements. Always add such flavors slowly, tasting as you go just as you would add the salt. You don't want to overwhelm the salsa with sweetness, but sometimes it can help bring the right balance.

Alcohol

Yes, believe it or not some salsas can benefit from a judicious splash of spirits: rum, tequila, or perhaps a touch of bourbon. I especially like doing this when I'm serving the salsa as a topping on grilled meats, which may have been marinated with these same spirits in the mix.

Additional spices

Some salsas can benefit from the addition of other spices such as ground cumin, cayenne or black pepper, or even a touch of cinnamon. Just try not to add more than one or two additional spices to the basic mixture, and pick those that complement the other ingredients well.

Olive Oil

Sometimes a salsa can benefit from a touch of olive oil as well, in order to held blend together the flavors and if it seems too "dry".

These are just a few ideas...

• Italian tomato salsa: fresh tomatoes, yellow onion, green bell peppers, parsley, red wine vinegar, olive oil, salt and dried red chili pepper
• Tropical mango salsa: mango, lime juice and zest, toasted Guajillo chile, red onion, cilantro, salt
• Pomegranate salsa: pomegranate arils, lime juice, fresh serrano pepper, green onions, cilantro, salt
• Peach salsa: peaches, lime juice, fresh jalapeno pepper, red onion, honey, cilantro, salt
• Red plum salsa: red plums, lime juice, serrano pepper, red onion, mint, salt
• Cucumber salsa: cucumbers, lemon juice, jalapeno pepper, white onion, dill, salt
• Corn salsa: Grilled corn, red bell peppers, poblano pepper, red onion, red wine vinegar, cilantro, cayenne pepper, salt