Lime Zucchini Fresh Salsa

Chopped Salad/Fresh Salsa

Although I will present a favorite recipe below, this is really more about an idea that is shared in hot climates around the world:  a cold fresh marinated vegetable dish that can be made in advance and enjoyed outdoors with friends.  Unlike egg and potato salads, there is no fear of spoiling.  It doesn’t need cooking, so you won’t need to heat up your already hot kitchen.  And you can use whatever vegetable is threatening to take over your garden right now – even zucchini – and no one will mind. 

The photo is of two variations, one with a lot of zucchini, carrots and green beans but no tomatoes.  The other has no zucchini, no green beans and a lot of tomatoes and cucumber.  The variation in the recipe does include zucchini and we just ate it too fast to take a picture.  The left salad is spicy and Middle Eastern in flavor.  It includes olive oil, basil and lemon juice and would fall in the category of an Israeli chopped salad.  The right and the one I give the recipe for are more Middle or Southwest American.    Add a chunk of bread and a slice of cheese or a few nuts and you have a portable meal.   

Make your salad according to whatever is growing in your garden right now and season it to complement your main dish.  (Some ideas:  Asian:  Bragg's Liquid Aminos, peanut or sesame oil, hot chili oil, juice from some pickled ginger... Greek:  sundried tomatoes, basil, fresh mint, olive oil, red wine vinegar, black olives)  Just start early, so you can chop the vegetables small and let the salad stand at room temperature or in the refrigerator so the marinade has at least two hours to soak in well.  (If it is heavy on tomatoes it will be much better at room temperature!)

I subscribe to Cook’s Illustrated email service, which just sent a corn salsa recipe to me, and as snobbish as it sounds, I like my version better. 

Lime Zucchini Fresh Salsa Ingredients

1 c. diced white onion

½ c. chopped green portion of scallions

3 c. mixed chopped zucchini and summer squash, after seedy center portion has been cut out

            Or 1 ½ c. zucchini and 1 ½ c. cucumber

2 c. corn kernels, frozen

            Or use very fresh, just picked so it is still full of juice and does not have hard skin

1 c. chopped colored bell peppers

Big handful of basil, chopped

Juice of 2-3 large limes

2 c. chopped, tomatoes, most of the seeds and juice removed. 

1 ½ tsp. minced garlic

½ tsp. black pepper

½ tsp. salt

1 tbsp. light vinegar to boost the lime (I use coconut, but rice or white would be ok)

Mix all the above together, taste and adjust seasonings.  Flavor will improve in a couple hours of refrigeration.