After a cool, damp weekend, with honking geese flying overhead each evening, it felt like an early winter was knocking at the door.  Lo and behold my surprise to wake up this morning to sticky humidity and a forecast of 88 degrees!  I guess summer is not completely done with us yet.

This fresh salsa is exactly what the doctor ordered for a sticky, hot August summer day: cool, crisp, tasty and takes about 10 minutes to prepare, with not an oven, burner or flame in sight.  We had some with baby back ribs on Saturday, which was quite delicious, but it would work well with chicken or fish, on a burger, or just by itself with tortilla chips.  For a truly indulgent dinner, have some on top of vanilla ice cream – you know there’s calcium in ice cream, right?  Totally healthy.

Adapted (barely) from Cantaloupe Salsa, by Deb of Smitten Kitchen

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Cantaloupe Salsa

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups cantaloupe, diced to 1/4 inch (about 1/2 a medium cantaloupe, or 2 and 1/4 lb piece)
• 1/4 cup diced red onion (I used Cippolini)
• 2 tbsp minced fresh cilantro
• 1 medium jalapeno pepper (about 3 inches), minced with seeds
• 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp chile powder

METHODS

1. Combine all ingredients.  Toss well and serve.

Yields about 2 cups salsa.

OPTIONS

1. Mango would work, in place of cantaloupe, if mangoes are in season where you live.  As Deb suggests, some honeydew melon might be nice for color and taste variety.  I was thinking some diced green or red bell pepper would add a nice crunch and some color as well.
2. For a completely local salsa, you could omit the lime juice and use homemade vinegar or sumac lemonade.

STORE

Best used immediately. Will store in the fridge for about a day, but will soften substantially over time.

SEASON

Summer.