The subtitle of this post could be Variations on a Theme. Brahms did it with classical music, William Carlos Williams did it with poetry and I'm doing it with salsa.
And peaches.
And more homegrown tomatoes.
Now, I'm not claiming to be in the same league as the artistic greats just mentioned, but I must say the results of my tinkering were well received. Between the four of us at Book Club, we polished off the entire dish. Okay, I probably ate half, but my fellow bookworms did say it was pretty good.
To counteract a week-long infusion of high-cal, low-nutrient treats, I thought I'd bring something healthy to our little literary meeting. Something fresh, with a bit of protein and little (or better yet, NO) fat.
Oh yes, and some fibre.
So, with a fresh wave of vine-ripe tomatoes waiting in the garden and a basket of peaches on the counter, I improvised a variation on last month's peach salsa. The results not only tasted wonderful, it met my nutritional criteria in every way. (We shall ignore the calorie count on the tortilla chips used to transport the food to my mouth.)
If you wish to riff on this dish, mangoes, papaya or nectarines can stand in for the peaches. Like a hot Latin influence? Crank up the jalapenos. More of a Mellow Yellow person? Try yellow tomatoes instead of red and cut back on the ginger. Like to free-style? Go for it. These basic flavours harmonize well, not matter how you play it.
Over to you. How would you play out your salsa variation?
Peach and Black Bean Salsa
Ingredients
- 1 tin black beans, rinsed and drained
- 2 ripe peaches, peeled, chopped and drained
- 2 medium tomatoes, peeled and chopped
- 1 jalapeno pepper, minced
- 1 clove garlic, grated
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
- 1/3 to 1/2 cup cilantro, minced (you can use mint, parsley and/ or basil if you hate cilantro)
- 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
- 1 tsp cumin
- salt to taste
- fresh ground black pepper
Instructions
- Rinse and drain the black beans. Set aside in a medium-sized bowl.
- Peel and chop the peaches and the tomatoes. Put the pieces in a strainer set over a bowl to drain for 5 to 10 minutes. You can keep the juice and use it for smoothies or gazpacho.
- Meanwhile, prep the remaining ingredients. Mince the jalapeno. Grate the garlic and ginger using a microplane. Mince the cilantro or herbs of choice. Squeeze the lime.
- Toss the beans, peaches, tomatoes, jalapeno, garlic, ginger, lime juice and cumin together.
- Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour. The salsa will keep for a few days.
- Serve at room temperature to release the peaches' flavour.
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12 comments:
Sounds good, did you just eat the salsa as is, or did you serve it on something?
Katerina, we just shoveled it into our mouths on tortilla chips. Multi-grain tortilla chips -- just to be extra healthy (if you ignore the fat content.)
Charmian, this is a most intriguing variation on a theme! I might not have thought to include the black beans, but what a wonderful addition. I don't think I want to deviate from this symphony of flavor at all ... I'll take it just as it is!
I'm curious about the book club - do you normally bring dishes to share and host the meetings at someone's home? I've been with my book club for 11 years now, and we mostly dine out. Typically, the host chooses a restaurant to match the book (if possible).
Once in a while one or the other of us will host at home, but it doesn't happen often. Perhaps we should change that ...
Who needs tortilla chips? I'd eat that straight up for lunch as a salad. (Then I'd eat the tortilla chips later in the day. I like to spread the love over many hours.)
Hey!
I would definitely throw in some mangoes! Mangoes are a fantastic addition to any salad... when they are ripe they absorb all the flavors and taste fantastic once you bite into them. My step mom likes to add garlic and congo peppers to the mix too... it makes for a spicy dish!
Ginger, really?
I think this is a great rendition (on a theme) and the photos are so well done too. GREG
Diva, the book club is very informal and we've all known each other for years (10 at least). We meet in our homes, rotating hosting duties. The host picks the book and provides the beverages (wine is a must, coffee and tea optional). The rest is potluck. We rarely follow a food theme since the titles usually don't lend themselves to this. Meetings last at least 3 hours -- we do veer off topic -- so a restaurant isn't the right place for us.
Cheryl, I ate batch #2 with leftover chicken for lunch, not tortilla chips in sight. It was very good.
Angelique, that sounds wonderful. Never heard of congo peppers but LOVE the name. How could you not like something called congo peppers?
Cheryl A -- ginger. Really. It goes so well with the peaches. It's actually quite subtle given all the other ingredients vying for attention.. But if you aren't a ginger fan, your variation can omit this.
Greg, thanks! If you try this rendition, let me know what you think!
Thanks for sharing a really delicious looking flexible and healthy recipe.
I think my variation would be to fire it up with some extra cayenne pepper or tabasco (spicy and sweet is a favorite flavor combo of mine), and then use it as a generous garnish/side dish beside a grilled tuna steak.
Dan
Casual Kitchen
Daniel, I love your variation. This salsa has only a bit of spice and could easily take more heat. Love the idea of using in on grilled tuna!
Hey Charmian,
My step mom is West Indian and she told me about them... it might go by another name here :S but they kind of look like really mini bell peppers except they are very hot.
Oh Charmian! This looks so delicious. Thanks for this one! :)
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