I'll Have "Seconds"
As the reality of the end of summer begins to set in, I try and squeeze everything I can out of my favorite seasonal ingredients, particularly tomatoes, cucumbers, peaches and watermelon. And, yes, gazpacho is always up for grabs (and we love watermelon-tomato gazpacho, too) with tomato sauce a close second.
Speaking of seconds, I was lucky enough to score some tomato "seconds" at the farmers market last weekend. "Seconds" tend to be ugly, a bit overripe and/or not perfect enough for the traditional consumer who wants beautiful tomatoes. As I pondered how lucky I was to score about 10 big, juicy ready-to-use tomatoes, I began to think about the ways in which these beauties could enrich our weekend menu.
And within a New York minute, I had it all figured out.
With plans to grill a pork loin, my mind detoured to a dish we made years ago that still gets our juices flowing. Honey glazed pork chops with peach salsa. Though this recipe was shared on the blog more than three years ago, it remains one of the favorites--and obviously one I continue to dream about even after all these years and hundreds of recipes later.
But instead of a peach salsa, there were a few of the tomato "seconds" that were craving to be incorporated into this recipe. Combining the best summer produce--tomatoes and peaches--was a way to celebrate the impending end of the season and redefine the possibilities of salsa with the potential to take it to even higher levels of culinary prowess.
Once I made the salsa, I let it meld at room temperature on the kitchen counter so the juices from the ripe tomatoes and sweet peaches mingled together with the cilantro, Hatch chile, jalapeno, onion, lime juice and salt and pepper.
David was outside grilling, but strolled into the kitchen for something and he dove right into the salsa with the spoon and said, "I could eat that all by itself." I had not yet tasted the salsa, so I did and he was so right.
Juicy, savory tomatoes and sweet, succulent peaches were a brilliant match. The simplicity of the salsa was ripe with flavor and I agreed with David that it was definitely worthy of consuming by the spoonful. As fate would have it, we did not have any tortilla chips or chips of any kind which, thankfully, prevented us from inhaling the salsa as a snack before it could be included in our special Sunday meal.
A side of black beans and the sweetness of a fried ripe plantain were the perfect compliments to the grilled pork loin topped with a generous serving of tomato and peach salsa. The beauty of salsa is it can morph into anything you want it to be--regardless of the season. If there happens to be any leftovers, get a bag of tortilla chips so then you can eat the salsa by the spoonful.
Buen provecho!
Tomato and Peach Salsa
The Cowgirl Gourmet
Print recipe
There is inherent beauty in the seasons and the combination of ripe tomatoes and juicy peaches remind us of the power of summer produce. The addition of Hatch chile elevates the salsa to new heights, but not to new levels of heat. Rather, the Hatch chile is subtle and adds flavor. This salsa is all about balancing sweet and savory and just a touch of spice to remind you that it is a salsa, after all.
Serves 4
1/2 white onion, diced
1/2 Hatch chile, seeded and diced (Hatch chiles are also seasonal and arrived at our local grocery stores--they can be procured raw or roasted, and I used raw chile here)
1/2 jalapeno, seeded and minced
1/2 cup (heaping) organic cilantro, minced
1 organic peach, diced
1 large and ripe tomato, diced
Juice of 1 lime
1/4 teaspoon sea or Maldon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
To a bowl, add all of the ingredients and stir well to combine. Allow the salsa to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to an hour so the juices extract and mingle together with the other ingredients.
Serve with grilled meats and/or vegetables, add to tacos or devour with your favorite tortilla chips.
And within a New York minute, I had it all figured out.
With plans to grill a pork loin, my mind detoured to a dish we made years ago that still gets our juices flowing. Honey glazed pork chops with peach salsa. Though this recipe was shared on the blog more than three years ago, it remains one of the favorites--and obviously one I continue to dream about even after all these years and hundreds of recipes later.
But instead of a peach salsa, there were a few of the tomato "seconds" that were craving to be incorporated into this recipe. Combining the best summer produce--tomatoes and peaches--was a way to celebrate the impending end of the season and redefine the possibilities of salsa with the potential to take it to even higher levels of culinary prowess.
Once I made the salsa, I let it meld at room temperature on the kitchen counter so the juices from the ripe tomatoes and sweet peaches mingled together with the cilantro, Hatch chile, jalapeno, onion, lime juice and salt and pepper.
David was outside grilling, but strolled into the kitchen for something and he dove right into the salsa with the spoon and said, "I could eat that all by itself." I had not yet tasted the salsa, so I did and he was so right.
Juicy, savory tomatoes and sweet, succulent peaches were a brilliant match. The simplicity of the salsa was ripe with flavor and I agreed with David that it was definitely worthy of consuming by the spoonful. As fate would have it, we did not have any tortilla chips or chips of any kind which, thankfully, prevented us from inhaling the salsa as a snack before it could be included in our special Sunday meal.
A side of black beans and the sweetness of a fried ripe plantain were the perfect compliments to the grilled pork loin topped with a generous serving of tomato and peach salsa. The beauty of salsa is it can morph into anything you want it to be--regardless of the season. If there happens to be any leftovers, get a bag of tortilla chips so then you can eat the salsa by the spoonful.
Buen provecho!
The Cowgirl Gourmet
Print recipe
There is inherent beauty in the seasons and the combination of ripe tomatoes and juicy peaches remind us of the power of summer produce. The addition of Hatch chile elevates the salsa to new heights, but not to new levels of heat. Rather, the Hatch chile is subtle and adds flavor. This salsa is all about balancing sweet and savory and just a touch of spice to remind you that it is a salsa, after all.
Serves 4
1/2 white onion, diced
1/2 Hatch chile, seeded and diced (Hatch chiles are also seasonal and arrived at our local grocery stores--they can be procured raw or roasted, and I used raw chile here)
1/2 jalapeno, seeded and minced
1/2 cup (heaping) organic cilantro, minced
1 organic peach, diced
1 large and ripe tomato, diced
Juice of 1 lime
1/4 teaspoon sea or Maldon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
To a bowl, add all of the ingredients and stir well to combine. Allow the salsa to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to an hour so the juices extract and mingle together with the other ingredients.
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