Salsa

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Salsa’s endless possibilities

BY PRIYA HUTNER The science of

Vibrant red, green, yellow, orange — some like it hot while others like a some like it hot while others like a mild kick. Whatever the desire, salsas add can are and re to almost any meal.

Salsa means sauce. Yet, the ongoing debate rages as hot as salsa: Are salsa and hot sauce the same?

In my world, there’s de nitely a di erence. Hot sauce is generally thinner than salsa and more liquid. It’s typically made with hot peppers, vinegar, spices and other avors. It is often used on top of foods and perfect to add to tacos, burritos and eggs. It’s a key ingredient for delicious Bu alo chicken wings. Tabasco, Tapatio, Franks and Dave’s (one of the hottest sauces around) are just some of the more classic hot sauces.

Salsa, on the other hand, is chunky and made with vegetables or fruits and used as a dip or, in some cases, a topping on meals and dishes.

Salsa can be prepared and served cold or hot. Tomatoes are a standard for salsa. Pico de Gallo, salsa fresco, is made with chopped tomatoes, onions, cilantro, fresh chiles, lime juice and salt.

I am a fan of Salsa Verde. I love green salsa with tomatillo as the foundation. Roasting or grilling tomatillos are the way to go for an epic salsa. Just add garlic or corn and it pairs well with many dishes. Grilled tomatillo and corn salsa over sh, shrimp or tofu, enhance these proteins. A raw tomatillo salsa is also pretty tasty.

Grilled halibut topped with fresh pineapple salsa.

Onions and cilantro are essential in my book for a good salsa. I tend to chop and mix it in a bowl, but if you want to make it even easier, throw all of the ingredients into a food processor or blender and pulse. Keep it chunky. Roasted or grilled red-pepper salsa, avocado and jalapeño or serrano salsa, black bean, corn and pepper salsa are also unique vegetable salsas.

Enjoy the tastes of Tahoe at TheTahoeWeekly.com

Summer is an excellent time for heirloom tomatoes. ey make a beautiful, avorful fresco salsa. No need to cook heirlooms for summer salsa.

Fish tacos topped with mango salsa brings the tropics to the dinner table.

OPT FOR FRUIT

Vegetables aren’t the only star of salsa. Let fruit take center stage. Tangy and sweet with a hint of heat changes the complexity of the food you top it o with. Fish tacos topped with mango salsa brings the tropics to the dinner table. Pineapple salsa adds a little touch of Hawaiian to the menu. Peach salsa brings the Southern touch to grilled steak. Watermelon, strawberry, blueberries and plums can all be made into salsa. Or together they can be one big fruit salsa, too.

MIX IT UP

Instead of Spanish onions, try red onions or scallions. Add citrus for tang: lime, lemon, orange or grapefruit. Love a bit of heat. Add serrano or jalapeño or habanero if you dare. And don’t forget to add lots of cilantro, garlic and salt to taste. If you don’t like cilantro, use parsley instead and add a bit of cumin and black pepper.

Summertime yields so many beautiful fresh fruits and vegetables. A trip to the farmers’ market will yield hundreds of ideas for fresh salsa.

Add salsa to eggs, on a burger, baked potato or in a grilled cheese sandwich. Whether the vessel is – chips, chicken, beef, pork, sh, tofu or tempeh – enjoy your next meal slathered with salsa. 

experimental vs. traditional wines

Pineapple salsa

Priya Hutner is a food writer, personal chef and owner of The Seasoned Sage, a local meal delivery and catering company. Priya has been creating and preparing meals from an early age. She has worked in the restaurant industry in New York City, attended catering school, and was the head chef and executive director of a nonprofi t spiritual community in Florida. Visit her website at TheSeasonedSage.com. Send your comments, story ideas and food tidbits to priya@tahoethisweek.com. The fi rst of the UC Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center (TERC) Summer Speaker Series will be on July 15 at 5:30 p.m. with “Experimental Wines vs. Traditional Wines” on Sierra Nevada University campus in Incline Village, Nev.

UC Davis Viticulture & Enology has been bringing the latest research and innovation to the wine industry for years. TERC is bringing one of UC Davis’ biggest innovators, Dr. Andrew Waterhouse, to talk about his research and do a tasting. He will pour a recent experiment to test the impact of anthocyanins (the red pigments in grapes) on wine taste and texture. He will also pour a pair of wines by the same UC Davis winemaker to contrast contemporary and traditional California winemaking.

Tickets are $45 and benefi ts TERC education and outreach programs. Seating is limited and advanced registration is required. | Tickets tahoe.ucdavis.edu

SUMMER SPEAKER SERIES

July 15 | Experimental Wines vs. Traditional Wines July 21 | Beer: The reason we’re alive! July 28 | Bentley Heritage Cocktails: The taste of summer 2021 Aug. 5 | Science Speakeasy

PINEAPPLE SALSA

From the kitchen of Priya Hutner

1 pineapple, cored & cut into small pieces 1 small red onion, diced 1 lime, juiced 2-3 cloves garlic, minced fi ne 1 serrano or jalapeño pepper, deseeded & minced ¼ C fresh cilantro

Salt & pepper to taste

Mix all of the ingredients and let marinate in the fridge for at least an hour. Serve with chips or protein.

Coffee, ice cream truck opens

Tahoe Art Haus & Cinema recently opened The Coffee Haus truck in the Cobblestone Center in Tahoe City. The truck serves Coffeebar coffee and espresso drinks in the morning with ice cream from Little Truckee Ice Cream in the afternoon. | facebook.com/tahoearthaus