Fresh Salsa, without a doubt, is one of my FAVORITE things to make and eat. EVER.
Fresh salsa can hardly be compared to its cooked namesake. It’s so fresh, zingy, and DELICIOUS – Gah!!! I love the stuff with my whole nacho-loving heart… and I really love nachos.
Despite our slow summer start (June was basically winter), our garden is producing bountifully. Right now, we have a bumper crop of tomatoes; they are sweet, tangy, delicious and perfectly beautiful! Just look at these lovely little cherry tomatoes!
We also have so much cilantro growing EVERYWHERE. We let some of last year’s cilantro go to seed, and it just popped up all over the place this summer.
And did you know that coriander is just cilantro seed??? My mind was blown when I learned this!
Not only that but before the seed pod dries and develops the tough husk to protect the seed, the whole thing is tender and green and ridiculously delicious. It tastes like cilantro and lime had a baby – it’s a burst of freshness that is incredible in so many recipes, including fresh salsa.
This is what it looks like:
So here’s my “recipe”, but truthfully I don’t have a recipe – I just wing it every time I make it and it’s slightly different every time, but always wonderful.
This recipe is only a guideline or template; I encourage you to play around with it to suit your taste. Feel free to add more jalapeños or not add the onion. If you don’t have fresh green coriander seeds, it’s totally okay. Just add a little more cilantro, or don’t add the cilantro at all if you don’t like the stuff!
I’d love to hear if you made any alterations to the recipe, what they were, and how it turned out!
Fresh Garden Salsa
Ingredients
- 3-4 large ripe tomatoes (about 3 cups worth) finely chopped
- 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 lime zest & juice
- 1-2 jalapeños, finely minced (add the seeds for extra heat!)
- 1/2 small red onion finely chopped
- 1-2 bunches fresh, green coriander seed (see above pictures) This isn't something you can find in your local grocery store, it's just an ingredient you'll have if you grew cilantro in your garden and let it go to seed. It's a lovely addition, but totally ok if you don't have it.
- 1 tsp cumin seed, ground in mortar & pestle, or 1 tsp ground cumin. Toasting it first adds lovely flavor!
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper
- 1 bunch cilantro, minced
- 1 tsp salt or to taste
- fresh ground pepper
- 1-2 pinches sugar
Instructions
- Do all of your chopping, mincing, & zesting, then combine the ingredients in a medium bowl.
- If you can resist the urge to eat it immediately, this salsa is even more delicious if given time to rest so the flavors increase and meld. Cover and put in the fridge for 30 minutes or longer.
- Serve with taco chips!
This sounds amazing!
I hope you give it a try. Your mouth will thank you!