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Try this simple homemade salsa

Louisiana farmers have been bringing out impressive tomatoes. Lately, the juicy specimens I’ve picked up at the Red Stick Farmers Market and Calandro’s, which carries tomatoes from Holden, Louisiana, have been packed with flavor. There’s nothing like a summer tomato—and conversely, there’s nothing worse than expecting one to taste great, only to find it disappoints. The local bounty tastes great, so find your way to the nearest reliable source.

The tomatoes I’ve brought home have been consumed simply—mostly sliced, topped with a little salt and pepper and served as a side dish. They’ve been that good. Sometimes, I’ll even peel them like my mother does to make them go down even easier. When I’m faced with too many and concerned they’ll overripen, I make a simple salsa that’s great for chips or as a topper for just about anything grilled, including burgers, hot dogs, fish, chicken, pork or flank steak.

Here’s how:
2 cups diced ripe summer tomatoes (try a combination of red and yellow)
˝ cup diced green bell pepper
1 tablespoon minced jalapeno pepper, seeded and deveined
2 small or 1 large cloves garlic, minced
Juice of one half lemon
Juice of one half lime
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro or a combination of chopped cilantro and basil
Kosher salt and cracked black pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and taste for seasoning. If not spicy enough add more minced jalapeno or a few shakes of hot sauce. Allow flavors to marry for about 30 minutes in the refrigerator before serving.