Spicy Fruit Salsa

I consider salsa to be one of the basic food groups, you can’t beat it for explosive flavor and visual appeal… I crave new and exciting versions every season, and this Spicy Fruit Salsa is my latest.

*This post is in association with O Olive Oil – their collection of oils and vinegars is simply the best.

Back when this recipe was just a twinkle in my eye I had a hunch it would be wonderful, after all my STRAWBERRY JALAPEÑO SALSA is one of my all time favorites, and that also pairs the sweetness of fresh fruit with the spice of hot peppers. This stuff is awesome. It’s got all the hallmarks of a great recipe, in my opinion — it’s unusual, beautiful, healthy, versatile, and blow your mind delicious. I hope you try it, I know you’ll be thrilled.

I designed this spicy fruit salsa to go over grilled salmon, and we loved it, the juicy sweetness of the fruit with the heat of the jalapenos was perfect with the fish. But we all agreed that it has lots of other possibilities too, not only for grilled chicken or steak, but for tacos, and of course corn chips. I even spooned it over my roasted asparagus and it was fabulous. I think basically it’s going to go great with everything.

You can do this with a big variety of fruits like I did, or you can pare it down, but  there are a few things to keep in mind. First, I made sure to chop my fruit in a small, even dice. If the pieces are too big it won’t ‘read’ as a salsa, and the flavors won’t mingle as well. I even cut the berries…it makes a big difference. Secondly, the only dressing this needs is a splash of fine vinegar —  one that’s light so it doesn’t overpower the fruit. I love my O Orange Blossom Vinegar for this, it has a beautiful crisp flavor. The trio of the sweet fruit, the spicy jalapenos, and the delicate tang of the vinegar just sings.

Choose most any fruit you like for the salsa, but I think firm, brightly flavored varieties works best,…no bananas, mushy pears, or watermelon please.

Spicy Fruit Salsa is a great use for leftover fruit that accumulates in the spring and summer months. Remember also that lots of grocery stores sell half a pineapple so you don’t have to buy the whole thing. The fruit I used for this recipe:

• pineapple
• papaya
• strawberry
• blueberry
• blackberry
• raspberry
• white and pink grapefruit
• kiwi
• small red grapes
• pomegranate seeds

TIPS:

• Resist the temptation to add any accumulated juice from the fruit to the bowl, that dilutes the flavor of the vinegar and makes the salsa watery.
• Chopping the fruit finely without bruising it is key, I use the Vidalia Chop Wizard to do it neatly and quickly.
• If you use anything that browns once it’s been cut (i.e. apples) be sure to hit it with some lemon juice.
• Very important: cut fruit does not keep well. I suggest making this salsa no more than an hour or so before you use it for the best, freshest results.

Spicy Fruit Salsa

4.54 from 15 votes

I consider salsa to be one of the basic food groups, you can't beat it for explosive flavor and visual appeal… I crave new and exciting versions every season, and this Spicy Fruit Salsa is my latest.

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Prep Time:15 minutes

Servings: 3 cups salsa

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Ingredients

 

1/4 cup each

• strawberries, finely chopped
• blueberries, halved
• blackberries, halved or quartered
• raspberries, halved
• papaya, finely chopped
• pineapple, finely chopped
• pink and white grapefruit sections, chopped
• kiwi, finely chopped
• small red grapes, halved
• pomegranate seeds
• red onion, finely diced
• jalapeno, finely minced, seeds and all (for less heat leave out the seeds and/or use less jalapeno)

dressing

• O Orange Blossom Vinegar

Instructions

• Put everything into a bowl and add the Orange Blossom Vinegar. Start with 2 tablespoons and add more if needed. You want to just lightly dress the salsa without drowning it. Toss gently and serve asap.

Course: Salad

Cuisine: American

Author: Sue Moran

Keyword: fruit, fruit salad, healthy, raw, salsa, summer

Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators.  Although The View from Great Island attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.

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