Can you tell I’ve had a lot of peaches in the house?  And there are still nectarines in the fridge… stay tuned.

Tai’s first comment on tasting this salsa was “How can this be possible?”  Followed shortly by “Maybe I’ve just never had a good peach before.”  Granted, Tai is not difficult to please (one of the reasons he is so much fun to cook for), but I have to agree with him – this salsa came out really good.  Fresh, bright, mildly spicy, tangy, sweet, crunchy; everything a good fresh salsa should be. 

The key to a good fresh salsa of any variety is the taste of the ingredients.  There are so few, they must each be of excellent quality in order to make a truly memorable dish.  Farm-fresh peaches at the peak of ripeness, jalapenos snipped this morning from the garden, onion & bell pepper from yesterday’s farmer’s market and cilantro from Wednesday’s CSA; these ingredients, great on their own, combine to make a taste that is greater than the sum of their parts.  We’ve hidden the salsa away at the back of the fridge so there will be some left for tonight’s planned barbecue.

This recipe makes a lot of salsa; about 6 cups.  If you don’t have an army to feed (or 5 peaches desperately in need of using up), you can cut the recipe in half. If you are looking for a cooked peach salsa recipe, suitable for canning, try here.

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Fresh Peach Salsa

INGREDIENTS

• juice from 3 limes (about 6 tbsp)
• 5 large peaches (I used a mix of yellow & white)
• 1/2 of large red onion (about 1/2 cup diced)
• 1 medium red bell pepper, diced
• 2 galic cloves, minced
• 4 to 5 jalapeno peppers, seeded if desired, minced (wear gloves!)
• 1 small bunch fresh cilantro, roughly chopped (about 1/4 cup)
• 3 tbsp wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp turbinado sugar
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

METHODS

1. Juice the limes into a medium bowl.  If you like it extra limey, add some lime zest as well.
2. Peel the peaches by dipping in boiling water for about 60 seconds, then plunging into an ice bath; the skins should slip right off.  Halve, pit, and chop peaches to a 1/4-inch dice.  Toss the peaches in lime juice as you work to prevent browning.
3. Add onion, bell pepper, garlic, jalapeno, cilantro, vinegar, sugar, salt, and cayenne pepper.  Mix well and taste. Adjust seasonings, if necessary (remembering that the flavors will blend over time; spiciness will intensify while vinegar and lime will mellow).  Allow to sit, at room temperature for up to 1  hour, or if longer, refrigerated.  Mix, taste and adjust seasonings again, and drain off excess juices before serving.  Serve with tortilla chips, toasted pita triangles, on top of chicken, pork, fish or burgers, or as a side salad. 

Yields about 6 cups.

OPTIONS

1. There are many, many peach salsa recipes out there, all similar variations on the theme. Feel free to experiment with ingredients and amounts that you enjoy.
2. As usual, nectarines are a good substitute here.

STORE

About 1 day in the refrigerator; after that the fruit will become increasingly soggy.  Freeze for up to 3 months; thawed, the texture will not be as crisp, but the taste will still be excellent as a marinade for chicken or pork, to serve over scrambled eggs, or to perk up yogurt of cream cheese for a quick party dip.

SEASON

Summer.