Salsa Information

Photo: flickr user ezola

Ingredients

Time to bring on exotic salsas and do a little dance

Like the Latin dance that shares their name, the best salsas are "wild,

loose and loud."

Preparation

That description, from cookbook author and chef Chris Schlesinger, captures the essence of the intense, chunky salsas that marry flavorful raw fruits and vegetables with fresh herbs and spices commonly used in Mexico and Latin America.

Salsa adds vibrance to any pairing, whether it's tortilla chips or grilled sea scallops.

It's perfect anytime, but especially now during Cinco de Mayo celebrations and backyard barbecues.

The most common chip-dipping salsas tingle with fresh tomatoes and lime juice.

But your grill can inspire other exotic salsas, mingling tropical fruits with jalapeno peppers for sweet heat.

Sharpen your knife, turn on some lively mood music and chop a papaya, a red bell pepper, a red onion and some cilantro or parsley. Add a diced garlic clove and diced jalapeno pepper to the mixture. Then toss in pineapple juice and lime juice. (Recipes will be in this same collection.)

Ta-da! It's a papaya salsa that could make grilled sea scallops do the macarena.

Schlesinger, who co-wrote "Salsas, Sambals, Chutneys & Chowchows" with John Willoughby (William Morrow, 1993, $20), said the papaya salsa got him hooked on salsas.

Most Americans think of spicy, hot concoctions based on tomatoes, onions, chilies and garlic that are known in Mexico as salsa Mexicana, Schlesinger wrote. This tomato relish became so popular in the early 1990s that its yearly sales outpaced the classic condiment ketchup.

The salsas that restaurants typically serve with grilled fish or roast meats are more complex and full of intense, conflicting flavors.

The typical salsa herbs are cilantro and oregano, and the spices include chili powder or cumin. Vegetables and fruits may range from corn and bell peppers to tomatoes and onions, jicama, pineapple, mangoes, tomatillos and papaya. Lime juice and chilies - most often jalapeno - are essential.

Schlesinger said that in addition to livening up entrees, salsas also can add healthful flavor to steamed vegetables, or brighten up heavier starch dishes such as rice or beans.

Salsas are like a fruit or vegetable salad, said Elizabeth Wolf-Cohen, author of "The Book of Dips and Salsas" (HP Books, $12). They can be used as a condiment or a salad, she said.

Salsa recipes should be considered general ideas or guidelines, not restrictive, she said.

"Be creative." If you don't like cilantro, substitute parsley. It's OK to substitute one herb for another, or to increase the amount used.

While salsas are simple to make and come together in one bowl, they do require some patience and time. There's a lot of peeling, chopping and mincing involved. So be sure to set aside enough time for preparation. Once it's all together, the flavors typically blend in half an hour.

Because most ingredients in salsa are fresh and colorful with a crunchy texture, salsas are best made no more than two hours ahead, or just long enough to be chilled. Most do keep, covered, in the refrigerator for a couple of days, however.

Luckily, salsas tend to be low in calories because they contain little fat.

So dig in and enjoy.