Homemade Salsa Tips

Although tomatoes are the most common base ingredients for salsas, vegetable salsas and fruit salsas have become more popular.

• Tomato Salsas: The most common ingredients for these tomato-based salsas are tomatoes, onions and chiles. Even though fresh tomatoes are available year-round, dried and even canned tomatoes can be used. These tomato salsas work well in any dish requiring a tomato product; they can also be used to top pasta or they can even be pureed and used as a sauce.
  
• Vegetable Salsas: Most vegetables work well as the base flavor of such a salsa. Popular choices include corn, beans, cucumber, artichokes and eggplants. Many can be warmed and served in place of a vegetable. Some of the lighter vegetable salsas work well as a salad dressing.
  
• Fruit Salsas: The combination of spicy and sweet is a favorite so it should not be surprising to find that fruit salsas are popular, especially pineapple, peach, mango and melon. Fruit salsas can be served hot or cold. Try them with fish or poultry. They work great as a topping for ice cream or as a filling for a pastry.