Grilled chicken is a natural with salsas of all flavors. I enjoy grilling chicken breasts and serving it fajitas style for guests to choose the way they would like to eat it. I will make several traditional style tomato based salsas, one hot sauce like, a mild tomato salsa, and maybe a salsa Fresca. I will create one fruity salsa showcasing berries or tropical fruit, that’s light on heat for any diners looking for something a little different.

When I’m grilling for a picnic style gathering I will prepare a nice fruit salsa and serve it in very small individual condiment dishes as a side dish. The refreshing flavors in the salsa help cleanse the palette and are a nice change of pace.

Here is a nice salsa that is delicious for dipping as well as for serving as a nice side to grilled chicken or fish.

Caribbean Salsa

2 cups Chopped Seeded Watermelon
1 cup Chopped Fresh Pineapple
1 cup Chopped White Onion
1/4 cup Chopped Fresh Cilantro
1/4 cup Orange Juice
1 tablespoon Chopped Jalapeno Pepper, or to taste

1.    Combine the chopped watermelon, chopped fresh pineapple, chopped white onion, chopped fresh cilantro, fresh orange juice and chopped jalapeno chile pepper in a medium bowl.
2.    Stir well to mix.
3.    Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.
4.    Mix well prior to serving.

Grilled chicken is a natural with salsas of all flavors. I enjoy grilling chicken breasts and serving it fajitas style for guests to choose the way they would like to eat it. I will make several traditional style tomato based salsas, one hot sauce like, very smooth in texture, one with some extra heat, like xxxxxx-xxxxxxx-xxxxx.htm, as well as a salsa Fresca. I will create one fruity salsa showcasing berries or tropical fruit, that’s light on heat for my diners looking for something a little different.

When I’m grilling for a picnic style gathering I will prepare a nice fruit salsa and serve it in very small individual condiment dishes as a side dish. The refreshing flavors in the salsa help cleanse the palette and are a nice change of pace.

Here is a nice salsa that is delicious for dipping as well as for serving as a nice side to grilled chicken or fish.

Caribbean Salsa

2 cups Chopped Seeded Watermelon

1 cup Chopped Fresh Pineapple

1 cup Chopped White Onion

1/4 cup Chopped Fresh Cilantro

1/4 cup Orange Juice

1 tablespoon Chopped Jalapeno Pepper, or to taste

1.       Combine the chopped watermelon, chopped fresh pineapple, chopped white onion, chopped fresh cilantro, fresh orange juice and chopped jalapeno chile pepper in a medium bowl.

2.       Stir well to mix.

3.       Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.

4.       Mix well prior to serving.

Chile peppers, also called chili peppers are found in most salsa recipes. The most common peppers include peperoncini, banana, jalapeno, Anaheim, canned green chilies, poblano, and serrano. In addition to adding heat to your dish, the pepper adds nice texture and visual appeal.

Banana and peperoncini peppers are available in most supermarkets. They are packed whole and chopped in jars, and will be found in the same section as the olives and pickles. These peppers don’t pack any real heat but add nice tang and flavor to salsa dishes.

Anaheim peppers are mild with little heat. They are usually green in color, sometimes turning orange and then red as they mature. Anaheim chilies have a tough skin and are often roasted to char the skin, before removing it. The canned green chilies found in most supermarkets are often produced from Anaheim peppers. Poblano peppers are generally mild. These large peppers, when dried, are referred to as ancho chile peppers.

The jalapeno pepper can pack considerable heat and are the chile of choice for most who like a salsa with a little kick. The seeds and inner membrane contain the majority of the heat, so the piquancy of the pepper can be greatly reduced by removing the seeds and membrane and discarding them. Chipotle peppers are jalapeno peppers that have been dried or smoked. The chipotle lose a good deal of their heat when smoked or dried but take on a nice woody flavor. Chipotle peppers packed in adobo sauce are a staple for most who cook Mexican food regularly.

The serrano pepper has the most heat of our short list. The small green pepper, available in the produce section of most supermarkets, farmers markets and specialty produce stores will give most salsas serious kick.

If you want even more heat, you could seek out cayenne pepper, Tabasco pepper, habanero pepper, or scotch bonnet pepper. These chile peppers would be unthinkable for the average person.

All peppers containing capsaicin, the chemical compound responsible for the heat, should be handled with care. Use gloves to avoid contact with the skin, and wash all utensils and work areas after preparation.

Bruschetta is an Italian appetizer. The simplest form is thin slices of roasted Italian bread rubbed with a raw garlic clove, brushed with extra-virgin olive oil, and seasoned with coarse salt and fresh ground pepper. Variations from this classic preparation are endless and give you the opportunity to be very creative.

Ingredients:

Italian or French Bread
1 Garlic Clove
Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
Sea Salt
Fresh Ground Black Pepper
Fresh Tomato and Basil Salsa (recipe follows)

Prep Steps:

• Slice a loaf of Italian or French bread into 1/2-inch thick slices. A baguette works nicely. Slice the baguette at a diagonal to give longer, more oval shape pieces.
• Place the bread under the broiler until it begins to brown along its edges. Remove and allow to cool. Alternately, you grill the bread, which gives the bread a nice smoky flavor and nice grill marks. Either way, the bread needs to be nice and crisp.
• Rub the top of the roasted bread on with a raw garlic clove, brush lightly with a nice extra-virgin olive oil, and season with sea salt and fresh ground black pepper.
• Serve prepared bruschetta topped with a healthy spoonful fresh tomato salsa.

Fresh Tomato and Basil Salsa

Ingredients:

2 Large Heirloom Tomatoes
1 teaspoon Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
1 teaspoon Apple Cider, Red Wine or Balsamic Vinegar
1/4 teaspoon Sea Salt
1/4 teaspoon Fresh Ground Black Pepper
1/4 cup Finely Chopped Fresh Basil

Prep Steps:

• Dice heirloom tomatoes. Drain off some liquid if very juicy.
• Combine tomatoes in small bowl with extra-virgin olive oil, vinegar, sea salt, fresh ground black pepper, and finely chopped fresh basil.

Onions add great flavor and texture to salsa. White, yellow, red and green onions are the most popular salsa onions. Sweet onions like Maui or Vidalia onions are delicious and the perfect fit for a more subtle taste, less bite and tang. Onions add nice crunch and visual appeal, sometimes complimentary, sometimes contrasting.

White, Yellow, Red, and Sweet Onion
White, yellow, red, and sweet onions should be firm to the touch with no soft spots, feel heavy for their size, show no signs of mold, be free of blemishes or marks, and be wrapped tightly in a bright paper like shin. Uncut onions should be stored at room temperature, while cut onions should be wrapped in plastic or placed in airtight Tupperware style container and refrigerated. Onions should not be stored next to potatoes as the ethylene gas from potatoes quickens the decomposing of the onion.

Remove the outer paper like skin and dice or chop to desired size. Both ends of the onion should be discarded.

Green Onion
Green onions, also known as scallions or spring onions should be kept loosely wrapped in plastic bag and stored in the produce section of your refrigerator.

Trim off the base and top of the green stalk and dice to desired size.

Raw or Cooked Salsa
Depending on the recipe your salsa dish will either be raw or contain one or more cooked ingredients. While we often think of raw onion in salsa, the onion can be sautéed, grilled, roasted or broiled in the oven before becoming part of your dish.

Ingredients:

2 Large Ripe Heirloom Tomatoes
1 Large Garlic Clove, peeled
1/4 cup Chopped Fresh Cilantro Leaves
3 Green Onions, trimmed and cut into small pieces
2 Jalapeno or Serrano Peppers, membrane removed and seeded
1 Anaheim Green Chili, seeded and cut into thirds
1 (4 ounces) can Chopped Green Chilies
1 teaspoon Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
1 tablespoon Fresh Lime Juice
Sea Salt
Fresh Ground Black Pepper, to taste
1/4 cup Ice Water

Prep Steps:

• Roast the heirloom tomatoes under hot broiler or over direct heat of gas or charcoal grill, until the skin blisters. Turn tomatoes frequently and do not leave unattended.
• Remove the skin. Flesh should still be firm.
• Cut the tomatoes in half vertically, trim off core, and scoop out the seeds with small spoon or knife.
• Set roasted tomato aside.
• Add garlic clove, chopped fresh cilantro, green onion pieces, and jalapeno or serrano chile pepper to food processor and pulse a few times.
• Add roasted tomatoes, Anaheim chili, chopped green chilies, extra-virgin olive oil, and fresh lime juice to food processor. Pulse to desired consistency.
• Season the salsa with sea salt and fresh ground black pepper.
• Remove from food processor to serving dish and set aside one hour prior to serving.
• Prior to serving, stir in the ice water.

Serve with homemade tortilla chips.

Swordfish steaks are great for grilling. The fish is hearty and tastes great with little seasoning, or by soaking in a nice herb or garlic marinade before the fish hits the grill. Depending on your taste, you can sear the fish briefly on both sides and serve with the center section largely uncooked; or grill for 5 to 7 minutes on both sides, ensuring the center is cooked through giving the exterior a nice crust and grill marks.

My favorite fish to prepare are halibut and salmon, having spent my youth in Alaska. Salsas work very well with both of these fish. Halibut has a very neutral flavor and tastes wonderful with traditional tomato salsa or a sweeter fruit based salsa. Salmon has a sweeter taste and I tend to serve it with sweeter fruit salsa. I will often cook halibut in a baking dish in a bath of tomato salsa thinned with water and lemon juice. The heat from the chile peppers work their way into the fish as it cooks. It’s a great way to infuse some flavor.

I love swordfish on the grill. I tend to cook it during the summer months, and serve it with several homemade condiments including a salsa, usually containing a tropical fruit like papaya, mango, or pineapple.

Grilled Mango Salsa

Ingredients:

1 Ripe Mango, sliced 1/4 inch thick
2 teaspoons Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
1/4 cup Finely Chopped Red Onion
2 tablespoons Finely Chopped Yellow or Orange Bell Pepper
1 Jalapeno or Serrano Pepper, finely chopped
Juice from 1 Fresh Lime
1 teaspoon Granulated Sugar
1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt
1 teaspoon Chopped Fresh Parsley or Cilantro
1/2 teaspoon Ground Ginger

Prep Steps:

• Make sure grill grate is clean, and lightly oiled.
• Heat grill to medium heat.
• Place mango slices on a plate and coat with extra-virgin olive oil on both sides.
• Grill over direct heat for several minutes per side. Mango will be nicely browned.
• Remove mango and allow to cool briefly.
• Cut the grilled fruit into small cubes and add to small bowl with finely chopped red onion, finely chopped bell pepper, fresh lime juice, granulated sugar, sea salt, parsley or cilantro, and ground ginger.

Most often served at room temperature or chilled, the salsa can be heated up in a small saucepan and served hot. Grill fish to your desired preference, serve with salsa and lime wedges.