Receta Radish & Cucumber Salsa
It’s no secret that I love Mexican food. And by love, I really mean that I’m completely obsessed with it. I could eat it three meals a day–and frequently I do. There is something so magical about the way fresh and rich flavors meld together, often spiked with searing heat.
Salsa, which means sauce in English, is an accompaniment to practically every meal in Mexico, and it goes way beyond the tomato-based versions we get most often in the US. In fact, I prefer salsas that aren’t made out of tomatoes at all.
If I could take a bite of Mexico, I imagine it would taste much like the salsa I made today–fresh with an earthy undertone, bright with lime, and hotter than hell. (Ok…it wasn’t that hot, but the Serrano chiles I added did pack a punch.) This salsa was so good, I had a hard time not eating it all out of the bowl with a spoon.
Serve it over grilled chicken, steak or fish with warm, corn tortillas, or as I did today, with freshly baked tortilla chips. And don’t forget the margarita!
Radish & Cucumber Salsa
This bright, earthy salsa is perfect served with chips, but also makes a fantastic accompaniment to grilled chicken, steak or fish.
Ingredients
- 1 bunch of radishes (I prefer the colorful Easter egg radishes)
- 1/2 an English cucumber
- 5 scallions
- 1 serrano chile
- 1/4 cup fresh, cilantro
- 2 limes
- salt, to taste
- 1 dozen corn tortillas (look for "natural" tortillas containing only corn, water, and lime)
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Stack the tortillas and cut into 8 wedges. Place in a single layer on a baking sheet (will probably take 2 sheets). Spray with gluten-free cooking spray (or brush with oil). Sprinkle lightly with sea salt and bake for 10-15 minutes, or until tortillas are brown and crisp. Remove from oven and set aside.
Make the salsa. Cut the greens and root ends from the radishes and cut radishes in a 1/4 inch dice. Place in a medium bowl. Cut cucumber into a 1/4 inch dice and add to the cucumbers. Thinly slice the scallions and add to the vegetables.
Cut the chile in half and remove the seeds and white membrane, if desired. Mince and add to the bowl. Finely chop the cilantro and add.
Zest one lime and add the zest to the vegetables in the bowl. Juice the zested lime, and the other lime and stir the juice into the salsa. Taste for seasoning and add salt if desired, a large pinch should suffice.
Serve salsa immediately, or cover and refrigerate until ready to use. I like to make this at least an hour before I want to serve it to allow the flavors to meld.
2.2