Salsa Fresca MAKES: About 2 cups TIME: 15 minutes Salsa fresca (or pico de gallo) is easy, fast, really tasty, and extremely useful. The basic ingredients are simple enough: ripe tomatoes, onions, citrus juice or vinegar, fresh chiles, and fresh herbs. Of course, it's...
Pico de Verde MAKES: About 2 cups TIME: 10 minutes Super-fresh and perfect in summer. Tomatillos are more readily available these days than in years before (you may even find them in unusual colors, like purple). They're most often sold with the papery husks still on;...
MAKES: 1/2 cup TIME: 20 minutes, plus time to cool Itв's almost impossible to use too much of the flavoring ingredients in this preparation, but if you do if your oil becomes too strong simply dilute it with a little fresh oil. You can certainly mix or match among the...
MAKES: About 1/2 cup TIME: 15 minutes Based on the classic fish sauces of Southeast Asia Thai nam pla is the best known but without the fish. The sea green (dulse) helps maintains the salty pungency of the real thing, but if you don't have any handy, you won't go far...
MAKES: About 2 cups TIME: 20 minutes I'm a ketchup fan, so one of my standard barbecue sauces simply builds on its well-balanced, tomatoey sweetness. If you want to use this sauce for basting during grilling or roasting, make sure you add it toward the end of the...
Salsa Verde MAKES: About 2 cups TIME: 30 minutes Salsa Verde is a good all-purpose salsa that keeps in the fridge for at least a week. Spoon it onto scrambled eggs and roll in a flour tortilla with a little cheese or serve a bowlful with Naked Tamales or any of the...
MAKES: About 1 cup TIME: 10 minutes This fresh, chewy chutney goes well with just about any Indian-inspired rice dish and is not only exotic but could barely be any easier. In a pinch, you can make it with ingredients from the pantry, and if you don't have coconut,...
MAKES: About 1 cup TIME: 10 minutes Here just enough oil is added to thicken the mixture a bit; it doesn't become creamy as does normal pesto, but it retains a vibrant herb flavor. Wonderful drizzled over vegetables or stirred into soups. You can also make this with...
MAKES: 11/2 cups TIME: 15 minutes This recipe plays up the wonderful affinity of cilantro and mint for one another. Made with either herb alone, the chutney will still be worthwhile, but with both it's almost magical, as it would be with Thai or regular basil...
MAKES: About 11/2 cups TIME: 45 minutes This recipe harnesses the richness of onions cooked until they're dark and sweet to create a strongly flavored, almost smoky condiment. In fact, if you plan in advance or if you're going to be serving this chutney with a meal...
