Garden Fresh Salsa, made with juicy tomatoes, sweet Vidalia onions, crisp sweet garden bell peppers, spicy fresh jalapeno, sweet corn on the cob and fragrant garden cilantro.

Garden Fresh Salsa

Here it is running up on mid-August already and I realize that I've got quite a few summer posts like this one to catch up on! So don't go fussin' at me for posting a series of non-traditional recipes that may not necessarily fit into the "Southern" recipe box. Besides our southern favorites and classic southern recipes, like everybody else, we also enjoy a wide variety of other foods too, like this.

There's nothing that's particularly unique about this salsa except that it's a "fresh" salsa, made with those wonderful summer vegetables that will soon be gone - juicy and flavorful garden tomatoes, sweet Vidalia onions, crisp sweet garden bell peppers, spicy fresh jalapeno, sweet corn on the cob and fragrant garden cilantro - or flat leaf parsley, if you're not a fan. Black beans are also a perfect match.

This fresh salsa served up with white corn tortilla chips is at the top of the list of my favorite snacks, and I confess I've enjoyed it many times over this summer when it was just too hot for cooking a meal. Figured it was about time to share it, since these beautiful summer vegetables and tomatoes will be gone before you know it, so let's enjoy them every way we possibly can.

What sets this apart from Texas Caviar is that it's not heavily dressed with a vinaigrette. What makes it different from a regular salsa is it's not saucy. The veggies mostly live in their own juices making it more like a pico de gallo, and is as appropriate for chip-dipping, as it is as an accompaniment or garnish for steaks, chicken, tacos, wraps, even eggs.

There is one little "secret" ingredient - Louisiana hot sauce! Hey... this would be good as a shrimp salsa with some small salad size shrimp or leftover boiled or grilled shrimp tossed in too.

Use the quick microwave, no husk, no silk method to cook the fresh corn, or you can substitute canned corn too. The Mexicorn is excellent and I've also made it with the chipotle version, though if you use that, do taste before adding any additional hot peppers.

Here's how to make it.

Recipe: Garden Fresh Salsa

©From the Kitchen of Deep South Dish

Prep time: 20 min |

Yield: About 6 servings

Ingredients

• 2 medium ears of corn, cooked and scraped
• 1 (15 ounce) can of black beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 medium tomatoes (about 2 cups chopped), juices retained
• 1 cup of chopped Vidalia or other sweet onion
• 1/2 cup of chopped green bell pepper
• 2 to 3 jalapeno peppers, chopped, or to taste
• 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh cilantro or flat leaf parsley
• 1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning
• 1 tablespoon of hot sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
• Juice of one lime
• 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt, or to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon of freshly cracked black pepper, or to taste

Instructions

Combine all of the ingredients, cover tightly and refrigerate several hours. Best when fresh. Toss mixture before serving with crackers or chips. Can also be used as an accompaniment or garnish for steaks, chicken, tacos, in wraps, or eggs.

Cook's Notes: Use the no-shuck microwave method to cook the corn, or your favorite way - roasted, boiled, or grilled. Leave the ribs and seeds in the jalapenos for heat; remove them if you prefer it milder. May substitute pickled jalapenos if you prefer. May also substitute 1 (11 ounce) can of Chipotle White Corn or Mexicorn, but taste before adding any jalapeno with the chipotle corn.

Small Batch Pico de Gallo: Mix together 2 cups seeded and diced tomatoes, juices retained, with 3/4 cup diced red or yellow onion, 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded, ribs removed and minced, 2 teaspoons lime juice, 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro and salt and pepper to taste. Let rest for 30 minutes before serving.

Variation: Add small salad size shrimp or leftover boiled or grilled shrimp for a shrimp salsa.

Source: http://deepsouthdish.com

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Posted by Mary on August 14, 2012

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