Summer Salsa.

Tastes like summer. June 2012.     

One of my favorite things about summer is gathering a bunch of freshly picked and locally grown ingredients and creating an entire meal out of them.  And when it is so hot and humid out, turning on the oven or the stove for any significant amount of time is totally out of the question.  So, over the weekend, we made use of our abundance of farmers market finds and made a summer salsa to top our fresh fish tacos.  Here's how we made it.

Summer Salsa (makes approx 3 cups):

• 1 ear of corn, cut from the cob
• 2 to 3 medium-sized tomatoes, diced
• 1/2 cup red onion, diced
• 1/2 of a jalapeno, seeded and diced (wash your hands immediately after handling!)
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• Juice of 1 lime (<-- Not locally grown, of course)
• Salt & pepper to taste

Combine all of the ingredients into a bowl and mix together.  Eat it with chips or in tacos or on a toasted baguette.  Or just eat it by the spoonful!   

All of those fresh flavors taste just like summer.

What are your favorite summertime eats?  Freshly made salsa.  Smoothies with every berry imaginable.  Mint watermelon juice (so refreshing!).  Salads with unexpected ingredients like sliced peaches or a mix of chopped herbs.  Snap peas dipped in homemade hummus.  Just to name a few....