MAKE IT: Mandarin Pineapple Salsa

Fruit salsas are all the rage these days. You see them being used in cooking contests, cooking shows use them as garnish, most restaurants feature one these days, and even sine grocery stores carry them. But what exactly is a fruit salsa? And what can it be used for?

Fruit salsas are a delicate balance between sweet and spicy. This combination allows you to play off traditional flavor combinations, while adding a unique spin. Most fruit salsas are a combination of two fruits which play off each other. One being partial tart and one being partial sweet. For example Peach-Mango, or my favorite Mandarin-Pineapple.

Fruit salsas are the perfect accompaniment to overly sweet desserts as a way to balance them out or a nice grilled protein as a way to jazz it up! Include a fruit salsa at your next get together or use as a topping on fajitas/burritos as a wow factor.

Full time: 10 minute prep/ 30 minute chill time.
Serves 4-6

You will need:

6 mandarins, peeled
1 shallot
1 bunch cilantro
15 oz. jar pineapple chunks in juice, or tidbits
1 tbsp honey
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground red pepper or cayenne pepper

Let us begin:

Drain pineapple chunks reserving 1/4 cup of the juice.

Place juice in a large mixing bowl. Stir in honey, pepper and salt.

Dice pineapple into small 1/4" pieces (if using tidbits skip this step)

Dice shallot into small 1/4" pieces.

Dice Mandarins into small 1/4" pieces

Chop cilantro as fine as you can.

Fold pineapple, shallot, mandarin, and cilantro into juice mixture.

Cover tight with cling film and place in refrigerator 30 minutes to 3 days.

Transfer to serving bowl or plate as garnish, enjoy!

Great dishes for salsa include:

Grilled Lemon Pepper Salmon
Grilled Flank Steak
Seared Scallops
Glazed Grilled Ribs
Fish or Shrimp Tacos
Tandoori Chicken