Reprinted from the Health District's quarterly publication mailed to district residents (Summer 2001)

Need new ideas for using all those fresh fruits, vegetables and herbs this summer? Tired of the same old salads, steamed and sautéed vegetables served as side dishes?

Salsas will change the way you use fresh produce this summer. Fresh salsas are summer’s answer to the heavy sauces of winter. Although we generally think of salsas as being made with tomatoes, expand your horizons—think mango, papaya, berries, pineapple, peach, melons, kiwi, oranges, jicama, summer squash, cucumbers, fennel, corn, carrots, avocado, spinach, peppers, tomatillos, even black beans.

Don’t be intimidated by experimenting with salsas—there is no such thing as a bad salsa. With a few simple tips, you’re on your way to creating colorful, flavorful fresh salsas that will dress up your usual summer fare and add a festive air to your easy summer entertaining.

The basics of salsa are citrus juice (lime, lemon or orange), onions, garlic, a fresh herb (cilantro, mint, basil, for example) and peppers (hot or sweet). Then add any of the above-mentioned fruits and vegetables—even mix and match.

You can even grill the fruits and vegetables first to add extra flavor. A little olive oil will help meld the flavors and give it body. Some ideas: berry-kiwi, cucumber-avocado, grilled pineapple, pineapple-chipotle, honeydew-peach, grilled corn and tomato, corn and jicama, or mango-black bean.

Always think color when considering ingredients—for instance, red peppers are stunning in a mango or peach salsa with green cilantro.

Although making fresh salsas requires some chopping, there are a few ways to cut corners if you want to streamline the process. Food processors tend to over-chop foods and not make uniform-size pieces, but if used judiciously, they can work effectively and help make salsas in record time.

Hand food choppers give you a little more control over the size of your pieces. Start with the peppers and garlic, because you want them in smaller pieces, then add ingredients according to the desired finished size, adding the last ones you want to remain the largest.

When using tomatoes, slice them into 1-inch slices first, then cut each slice into several smaller pieces. Only pulse or chop very briefly in the food processor or hand chopper to avoid pureeing them completely.

Another tip for tomatoes: If you do not want a very thin salsa, you can drain the coarsely chopped tomatoes in a colander over a bowl to catch the liquid. Then add back to the salsa however much you need to give it the desired consistency.

Serve your fresh, delicious, beautiful creations over grilled meat, chicken, fish, vegetables, or polenta, or top burritos, beans, quesadillas or nachos. Use a dollop of salsa as a garnish for summer soups or even as a dressing for salads.