Salsa in Spanish means sauce. Fresh salsa and cooked salsas are a staple in authentic Mexican cooking and provide deep, rich flavor to a wide variety of Mexican dishes. Traditional salsas are red or green in
color and start with tomatoes or tomatillos as a base. The tomatoes or tomatillos can be canned or fresh and are mixed with one or more of the following: chile pepper, cilantro, onion and garlic. The ingredients in these authentic salsa
vary depending on the region of Mexico they originated and personal preference. In addition to playing a large role in the creation of many Mexican recipes, many of these salsas are perfect for dipping a tortilla chip or spicing up a plate
of nachos. They are classics and the starting point for many savory salsa recipes that are ideal for serving with an infinite number of Mexican dishes, or your favorite meat, seafood, and vegetable entrees.
Most traditional salsa recipes will contain chile pepper. Chile peppers come in a number of shapes, sizes, colors and heat. The heat component is what makes salsa stand apart from typical sauces and condiments. Each variety of chile
pepper is unique in the amount of heat that it contains. Studies on chile pepper heat have been done and the measurement of heat in chile peppers directly relates to the amount of capsaicin present. A scale created by Wilbur Scoville
documents the individual chile varieties and their piquancy or heat level. You can read more here on the Scoville scale. The chile peppers combined with tomatoes or tomatillos,
onion, garlic, and cilantro are what provide traditional salsas with the hot and spicy, sweet and tangy flavors that make them so popular.
Salsa recipes will call for fresh ingredients, as well as canned, and other processed ingredients. Most salsa preparations combine a number of ingredients and the dish is served raw, either warm or chilled. Some salsas should be served
immediately while others are better if the ingredients have had a chance to meld with one another.
The culinary world has embraced the idea of going beyond the traditional, or taking a new twist on a tried classic. Contemporary salsas combine fruits, vegetables, nuts, grains, beans, seafood and many other exotic, but readily available
items, creating new and unusual flavor combinations. These gourmet salsa recipes are perfect for serving with dippers, and wonderful as side dishes an infinite number of main dishes.
Gourmet chefs around the world are using ingredients like banana, mint, papaya, pineapple, japanese cucumber, wild mushrooms, scallops, to make delicious creations served, hot, warm or cold. These new gourmet salsas, are amazing dippers,
or perfect as side dishes accompanying your favorite baked, broiled or grilled meat, seafood or poultry.
GourmetSalsaRecipes.com presents dozens of the most delicious recipes from cuisines around the world. These wonderful dishes are perfect for dipping a chip, or for accompanying your favorite entrée. Whatever you are cooking,
you'll find several salsa recipes to match! |
