005: fresh salsa

this is an incredibly easy fresh tomato salsa recipe. you can use it as a chip dip, on tacos, on sandwiches, or on whatever else you usually use salsa. prep time is about 30 minutes, and you can begin using it immediately, though it is best if you let it sit for a few hours or overnight (yield = about 3 cups).



equipment:
paring knife
bowl (size: approx 1 qt.)
cutting board
measuring spoons


ingredients:
1 jalapeño pepper
2 tomatoes
1/2 c. diced red peppers
1/2 c. diced red onion
1/2 c. corn
1 clove minced garlic
1/2 t. to 1 t. cilantro
1 and 1/2 t. lemon juice


steps:
1.) dice jalapeños (NOTE: if you have never worked with jalapeños before, check out my tips for handling them) tomatoes, red pepper, and red onion. add all of these and the corn to a 1 qt. or larger bowl.

2.) add minced garlic, cilantro (to taste--the more you add, the spicier your salsa will be), and lemon juice.

3.) mix it all together. you can serve it immediately, but the flavors will blend best if left for a few hours or overnight.


time: 30 minutes
difficulty: 1 (1 being easiest, 5 being hardest)
rating: ♦♦♦♦◊ (4 stars out of 5)
suggestions for variations: use more jalapeños for spicier salsa. try adding (or subbing) other (like seasonal?) ingredients, like mangoes, pineapple or peach for a sweeter salsa.

enjoy!
-kl