Cooked and uncooked, those are the only two major types of salsa. Sauteed or grilled salsa ingredients like tomatoes enhance the flavor and aroma of salsa and add additional taste due to it's original sugars. Cooking also effectively brings together the flavors from the different ingredients in it. Still many people prefer fresh, raw salsas and it seems they have good reason to. Although fresh salsas may not be as flavorful as cooked salsas, when matched with the right meal they can be quite tasty.
Taste texture is not the only thing fresh salsa has going for it , there are a couple of other reasons why fresh salsa is a good idea. Fresh salsas can be made extremely fast, and at almost any place you have fresh ingredients and a sharp cutting utensil. Fresh salsas are a very healthy option as well. They require no saturated oils during preparation which effectively cuts out the fat. Eating fresh will also ensure that all the good vitamins and minerals are left intact. It is a fact that the heat in cooking sometimes results in the decrease in some vegetable and fruit nutrients.
When eating raw foods like fresh salsa be selective in your ingredient choices. Stay away from over ripe, too soft or limp-looking tomatoes and peppers. Stay clear of over ripe, overly soft or limp-looking tomatoes and peppers. Go for ripe but firm tomatoes. These are the ones that give a little when lightly squeezed but maintain their original shapes. Red and green tomatoes are your choice but remember these facts: reds have a sweeter and softer taste while greens have crunchiness and a tangier taste. Authentic green salsa recipes contain tomatillos which is not the same as green tomatoes.
Many salsa recipes call for the addition of raw onions and chili peppers. You may want to go easy on the chili peppers as they will be hotter when eaten raw. Onions tend to have a strong, sometimes overwhelming, biting taste. You can avoid this by choosing white onions over the stronger purple ones. If you choose to, you can microwave onions for a short time to take out some of the strong taste. If you want more flavor add additional herbs, spices, and seasonings, and vegetables such as salt, pepper, garlic, oregano, cumin and cilantro.
Fresh salsas can also be made of fruits that we might normally eat for breakfast or dessert. Older recipes usually feature mangoes and avocados. Newer recipes include fruit from all the seasons. You can have melons, pears, berries, and pineapples in your fresh fruit salsa. In some recipes, adding a little citrus juice like lime is recommended to prevent browning.
Blenders or food processors are essential tools for modern fresh salsa recipes. Just don't go crazy by blending to much. Salsas are best with slightly chunky textures rather than being too smooth. To blend the flavors of your salsa let it sit for a while. Some are OK to rest at room temperature, some are best chilled. Just remember the longer you let it sit the more water you lose from the fruits and vegetables.
Smoked meat or fish go well with fresh salsa as they are heavier tasting. While you are at it why not enjoy your salsa with plain or salted tortillas and a beer or margarita to get you in that Latin dining mood.
Taste texture is not the only thing fresh salsa has going for it , there are a couple of other reasons why fresh salsa is a good idea. Fresh salsas can be made extremely fast, and at almost any place you have fresh ingredients and a sharp cutting utensil. Fresh salsas are a very healthy option as well. They require no saturated oils during preparation which effectively cuts out the fat. Eating fresh will also ensure that all the good vitamins and minerals are left intact. It is a fact that the heat in cooking sometimes results in the decrease in some vegetable and fruit nutrients.
When eating raw foods like fresh salsa be selective in your ingredient choices. Stay away from over ripe, too soft or limp-looking tomatoes and peppers. Stay clear of over ripe, overly soft or limp-looking tomatoes and peppers. Go for ripe but firm tomatoes. These are the ones that give a little when lightly squeezed but maintain their original shapes. Red and green tomatoes are your choice but remember these facts: reds have a sweeter and softer taste while greens have crunchiness and a tangier taste. Authentic green salsa recipes contain tomatillos which is not the same as green tomatoes.
Many salsa recipes call for the addition of raw onions and chili peppers. You may want to go easy on the chili peppers as they will be hotter when eaten raw. Onions tend to have a strong, sometimes overwhelming, biting taste. You can avoid this by choosing white onions over the stronger purple ones. If you choose to, you can microwave onions for a short time to take out some of the strong taste. If you want more flavor add additional herbs, spices, and seasonings, and vegetables such as salt, pepper, garlic, oregano, cumin and cilantro.
Fresh salsas can also be made of fruits that we might normally eat for breakfast or dessert. Older recipes usually feature mangoes and avocados. Newer recipes include fruit from all the seasons. You can have melons, pears, berries, and pineapples in your fresh fruit salsa. In some recipes, adding a little citrus juice like lime is recommended to prevent browning.
Blenders or food processors are essential tools for modern fresh salsa recipes. Just don't go crazy by blending to much. Salsas are best with slightly chunky textures rather than being too smooth. To blend the flavors of your salsa let it sit for a while. Some are OK to rest at room temperature, some are best chilled. Just remember the longer you let it sit the more water you lose from the fruits and vegetables.
Smoked meat or fish go well with fresh salsa as they are heavier tasting. While you are at it why not enjoy your salsa with plain or salted tortillas and a beer or margarita to get you in that Latin dining mood.
About the Author:
OfTheMonthShop.com's Salsa of the Month Club is a great gift for the salsa lover in your family. In fact, you should take a look at all the of the month clubs there because you never know when you might need a unique gift.
