Fresh Fruit Salsas
A fruit salsa bridges the gap between a side dish and a condiment. It brings a cooling, bright element to charred proteins or salty crackers, grounding the sweetness with a sharp, spicy finish.
Uniformity is everything
Dice every ingredient to roughly the same size as a corn kernel. This ensures that every bite contains a balanced ratio of fruit, heat, and herb.
- chef's knife
- cutting board
- mixing bowl
What goes in.
- 2 cupsmango or pineapple, diced
- 1/2 cupred bell pepper, diced small
- 1/4 cupred onion, minced
- 1 eachjalapeño, seeded and finely minced
- 1/4 cupfresh cilantro, roughly chopped
- 2 tbspfresh lime juice
- 1/4 tspkosher salt
Salting for Texture
Toss the diced fruit with the salt and lime juice first, and let it sit for five minutes. This pulls excess water from the fruit, preventing the salsa from turning watery once the herbs are added.
The method.
Prepare the base
Peel and dice your chosen fruit into 1/4-inch cubes. Transfer them to a medium mixing bowl.
Draw out the juice
Sprinkle the salt and pour the lime juice over the fruit. Stir gently and set aside for five minutes.
Incorporate aromatics
Add the red onion, bell pepper, and jalapeño to the bowl. Stir to distribute evenly.
Add the herbs
Fold in the fresh cilantro last to keep the leaves bright and prevent bruising.
Check the balance
Taste a piece of fruit with a bit of the liquid. If the fruit is very sweet, add an extra squeeze of lime; if it feels flat, add a pinch more salt.
Other turns to take.
Stone Fruit Version
Swap mango for diced peaches or nectarines and use mint in place of cilantro.
Savory Melon Version
Use honeydew or cantaloupe with cucumber and a splash of rice vinegar instead of lime.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Always seed your jalapeño unless you want the heat to overwhelm the fruit flavors.
If using a very ripe, soft fruit, chill it for 30 minutes before dicing to make the cutting process cleaner.
Store in a glass container; metal bowls can sometimes react with the lime juice and change the color of the fruit.
The ones that keep coming up.
How long does this stay fresh?
It is best consumed within two hours of preparation. After that, the salt and lime juice begin to break down the fruit, making the texture soggy.
Can I use frozen fruit?
It is not recommended. Frozen fruit loses its structure upon thawing and will turn the salsa into a puree.
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