Salsas for Cinco de Mayo

It’s no secret based on my meal plans that Mexican is my absolute favorite cuisine. There’s just something so refreshing and inviting about the flavors. I just love the ooey gooey cheese, fresh tomatoes, spice, cilantro, tortillas, and more! In fact, for my birthday lunch last week Ben took me to my favorite Mexican place in town. It was absolutely divine.

Since today is Cinco de Mayo, I thought I’d jump on the blogger bandwagon and share two of my favorite salsas. I love salsa because it is so versatile. It’s great for dipping or topping Mexican food [nachos, anyone?] but also is very complementary to other dishes, like sandwiches, burgers, and fries. Seriously. I am salsa obsessed and I do not discriminate! All my foods are equal acceess for salsa. 🙂

Okay, enough of that. I’m weird. I’m sorry.

There are two salsa recipes to share with you today, in honor of Cinco de Mayo. The first is Simple Tomato Salsa. With just a little bit of kick and some distinct, pure tomato taste, this salsa is fabulous for any authentic Mexican fiesta. [well…. authentic… not sure I’m qualified for that but any fiesta will do!]. The second is Pineapple Salsa. This stuff is awesome! I experimented around with this recipe the first summer we were married and I’ve made it several times since then. Sometimes I add some mango into  the mix, but other times I keep it simple. This time, I kept it simple by choice as my Indiana grocery store was fresh outta mangoes. Sad day. But what I love about this salsa is the contrast between sweet pineapple, cool corn, crunchy peppers, and just the right amount of spice from my friend Mr. Serrano Pepper. Fabulous. I could go on and on all day about these babies but I gotta run… going shopping today! The semester is over and I’m taking a break today before my summer schedule begins next week. Happy Cinco de Mayo!

Simple Tomato Salsa [from Simply Recipes]

Ingredients:

• 1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes, drained
• 2 14-ounce cans fire roasted diced tomatoes, undrained
• 2 7-ounce cans green chiles, drained
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 cup loosely packed fresh chopped cilantro
• salt
• freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Pour the whole tomatoes into a large non-reactive mixing bowl. Break them up into small, bite-size pieces with a fork and sharp knife or your fingers. Mix in fire roasted tomatoes and green chiles.

In a small bowl, whisk together garlic, olive oil, vinegar, and oregano. Pour over tomato mixture and fold in gently. Add cilantro and stir gently. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Make 4-6 cups.

Pineapple Salsa

Ingredients:

• 2 cups finely chopped fresh pineapple [or 1 cup pineapple and 1 cup finely chopped mango]
• 1 cup diced green bell pepper
• 1 cup diced red bell pepper
• 1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
• 1 cup black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 cup chopped green onions
• 1 serrano chili pepper, finely chopped [control the spice by adding/discarding seeds and membranes]
• 1/2 cup loosely packed chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1-4 tablespoons lime juice
• salt
• freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Stir together pineapple, bell peppers, corn, black beans, onions, and chili peppers. Add in cilantro and cumin. Add lime juice, salt, and pepper to taste.

Makes 3-4 cups. Delicious with lime tortilla chips. 🙂

Click here for the printable version: Salsas for Cinco de Mayo