What is the secret superfood that shows up at every tailgater, and is served alongside beer and junk food ? Salsa of course.
Salsa simply means sauce in Spanish. It is usually a tomato based sauce which can be flavored with other vegetables, fruits, and spices. Classically, it contains chilis of some kind and garlic, but the variety from there is infinite.
Most Americans buy their salsa rather than make it. I would venture to guess it is eaten most often in this country with tortilla chips. I am going to suggest you take a walk on the culinary wild side and make your own salsa. Then take it a step further and serve it with something other than chips.
Consider mixing and matching the following ingredients.
Base:
- red tomatoes, raw or cooked, pureed or diced
- green tomatillos, cooked
- avocados, creamed or diced ( always include something acidic with these, i.e. lime juice, which prevents browning).
Heat:
- garlic
- onions
- chilis- powdered or fresh, with sweet, fiery and smokey variations.
- black pepper
Flavor:
- fruits like mango, peaches, pineapple, strawberries
- greens like cilantro, green onion or fresh mint
- olives
- chocolate ! for mole
Texture:
- fresh corn
- chopped sweet peppers, red, green, yellow, orange
- Beans, i.e. red or black
- cucumbers
- Jicama
Dressing:
- olive oil
- vinegar or citrus i.e. lemon, lime, or even orange.
I think you can see from these ingredients that salsa is rich with healthy ingredients. Now try it on meat, fish, chicken, eggs, or really any main or side dish. Salud !