Ripe Ingredients & a Recipe for Peach and Avocado Salsa

There was a bowl of little yellow cherry tomatoes sitting on my counter the other day. They were deliciously ripe, softening slightly, but the skin held firm when I’d squeeze the little fruits between my fingers… it was time for them to be eaten.

With the heat of the last week or so, I wasn’t about to cook with them. 34 degrees is just too warm to turn on the stove or the oven; but it’s just the right temperature for some margarita sippin’ and salsa eatin’. Forgive the cowboy speak… I’m in Stampede mode.

I took those juicy tomatoes, diced them up, and mixed them with a pile of other ingredients {summer goodies that can be found in my kitchen at any time} including peaches, avocadoes, and jalapenos — all ingredients that go beautifully together. Not necessarily your conventional salsa, but the flavours complement and enhance one another, just as they should.

When you’re making the salsa, add the jalapenos, limes, and salt to taste. It will take a little bit of work on your part to get the right balance in flavour, as the peaches add a sweetness that needs to be brought down by the spice, citrus, and salt. More is better on all accounts, especially the spice because the avocadoes do a great job at mellowing out the general mouth-feel of the salsa {what the heck does that mean, you ask? It means that when you eat something with avocado, it’s smooth and creamy and oh, so delicious. If you want that something to have a little more umph, you’ve got to add a little spice, salt, and tang!}.

So now I have to ask — what are your favourite salsa ingredients? I typically just use tomatoes, onion, garlic, jalapenos, lime, and salt; but it’s fun to switch it up every now and then.

Peach & Avocado Salsa
Makes approximately 6 cups

Ingredients:
3 peaches, diced
3 avocadoes, peeled and diced
3 cups mixed, diced tomatoes
1 small or medium red onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
1–2 jalapenos, diced
Juice of 1–2 limes
Sea salt, to taste
1/3 cup finely chopped cilantro

Instructions:
Mix peaches, avocadoes, tomatoes, onion, and garlic together in a large bowl. Add jalapenos, lime juice, and salt, to taste; stir in cilantro. Serve with tortilla chips, or on top of grilled chicken or fish. Refrigerate unused salsa for up to 3 days.