Summer Fest: Five Fresh Tomato Salsa Recipes

By: Cameron Curtis

Related To:

Salsa: Alton Brown

Salsa: Alton Brown

Photo by: Tara Donne ©Tara Donne

Tara Donne, Tara Donne

With summer in full swing, what better way to spend an evening than with a few cocktails  and chips and dip? Skip the store-bought brand of salsa and use in-season tomatoes to make these fresh versions and you'll never go back to jarred.

1. Salsa

Alton's salsa is as easy to put together as it is to eat. Combine chopped Roma tomatoes, garlic, jalapenos, pepper, onion, ancho chiles, olive oil and lime juice along with chili powder, salt and pepper before letting the mixture sit in the refrigerator overnight to get the full flavor infusion.

The name of this dip translates to "rooster's beak," and it originally referred to a salad of jicama, peanuts, oranges and onions. But today if you ask for pico de gallo, you'll get the familiar cilantro-flecked combination of chopped tomato, onion and fresh chiles. Also known as "salsa Mexicana," the key to this concoction is finding firm ripe tomatoes and seeding them, adding plenty of lime juice and salt, and not skimping on the chiles.

This version of salsa fresca (also known as pico de gallo) features raw and seeded tomatoes mixed with garlic, onion, jalapenos, cumin and cilantro. It's still rather chunky so you can serve it with chips as a dip or with dinner as a condiment.

All you need are four ingredients (plus salt and pepper) and a blender to make Ellie's pureed salsa. Simply put seeded plum tomatoes, pepper, lime juice and olive oil in a blender, and then puree until smooth.

Photo by: Stephen Murello ©Stephen Murello

Stephen Murello, Stephen Murello

Tyler's salsa is chock-full of chiles: dried anchos, Anaheims and chipotles. They're combined with charred tomatoes, onions and garlic to create a smoky salsa.

More Tomato Recipes from Family & Friends

Jeanette's Healthy Living: Juicy Summer Heirloom Tomato Fruit Salad

The Sensitive Epicure: Tiny Insalata Caprese

The Heritage Cook: Caprese Salad and Caprese Pizza

Pinch My Salt: 20 Tomato Recipes
Feed Me Phoebe: Bloody Marias

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