Summer Salsa in Se7en Steps…

The weather here is so miserable and inclement – dark, wet and freezing. So we decided to bring out one of our favorite summer salads – nothing like pretending!!!

This is the type of recipe that gathers up whatever you have lying around. I split the ingredients into “negotiables” and “non-nonegotiables” My theory is that by giving choices that they feel a bit dubious about they won’t look twice at the rest! Also, they won’t give up on trying something because one of the ingredients is something they don’t like at all. Generally it works even for the fussiest, and yes I do have one or two, to give them some control over what is on their plate! This is what you are aiming for:

Let’s Meet The Players:

Let’s start with the non-negotiable ingredients and this is our basic salsa.

• tomatoes
• corn
• colorful peppers
• spring onions
• chopped parsley

And these are the add-ons that are negotiable: Really anything that we have that would enhance the salsa!

• avocado
• mango
• cucumber
• pineapple

And finally the dressing:

• olive oil
• basalmic vinegar
• fresh lemon juice
• salt and pepper

Let’s Play The Game:

Step 1:

Start with a step by step chopping and slivering and chopping some more: the tomatoes, the corn (if you don’t have fresh then use frozen), the peppers and the spring onions. Top with the parsley – keep a little back for topping at the end of the recipe.

Step 2: All the while let a short person chatter away, all the while munching their way through the choppings!

Step 3: Now add the dressing and be generous. Also, you want all your choppings to linger and absorb the juices – so make this a while before you intend to eat it. Perfect – permission to make something ahead and forget about it till you need it! A dollop of olive oil, a dollop of basalmic vinegar, couple of grinds of salt and pepper, and all the lemon juice you can squeeze out of your lemons.

Step 4: Mix it up and stir it up and sprinkle with the last bits of parsley. Leave it to stand and soak for a while before you get to eat it. The lemon juice will keep everything fresh and crunchy!

Step 5: Just before you serve chop up your remaining bits and pieces and serve these “add-ons” into separate dishes.

Step 6: We serve it up in little dishes – a spoonful of the non-negotiable and at least two of the extra’s to try. This is a great recipe for trying new tastes and flavors – also because everything is chopped up and if something they have chosen is really too ghastly for them they can weed it out without losing too much face!

Step 7: That’s it you are done! You can serve it as it is or you can add a dollop of sour cream or cream cheese. We never get to that, it just gets eaten as it is, with the “silent” munching sounds of contentment.