Spice of Life

Salsa: It's not just for tomatoes anymore! Chef Rocky Durham experiments with such ingredients as pineapple, cucumber, and strawberries in these surprising summer sauces.

Photography by Douglas Merriam

My dad was fond of joking that if you don’t like the weather in New Mexico, you could just leave. I tend to agree: New Mexico’s weather is gorgeous year-round, and each month has its own distinct beauty—September has changing aspen leaves and chile-scented breezes, December has farolitos and snow-covered mountains, and March has dramatic skies and gusty winds. But while each of those months is spectacular, they’re perhaps best enjoyed through a picture window. June has many of the attributes New Mexico is famous for: warm days and all the sunshine you can handle. In summer, we do one kind of weather here: gorgeous!

Outdoor beauty of the June variety demands frequent sojourns into nature, something our state has in spades. In the Land of Enchantment, we enjoy June in limitless outdoor venues: kicking back in the shade on the portal; biking to the Santa Fe Plaza; driving along the Enchanted Circle through Red River, Angel Fire, and other destinations in northern New Mexico; or picnicking in a park, whether city, state, or national. As a chef, I consider not only our destination, but what we’re going to eat when we get there. And as a polite party guest, I never show up empty-handed. Either way, June’s hot food is salsa!

Although salsa may be as common in New Mexico as ketchup is anywhere else, our condiment of choice need not be tomato-based. In Spanish, salsa simply means sauce, and the following recipes offer a wonderful spectrum of ingredients and flavors for sauces. Consider this: If a tomato is a fruit (and it is), then what other fruits might take its place in a salsa for summer flavor, flair, and variety? Why not pineapple? That simple adjustment to a standard recipe will yield an entirely new, delicious creation.

But don’t stop there. Throw a few pineapple slices on the grill to get them nice and caramelized, then dice them for your salsa. You can serve this condiment on almost any grilled meat. Grilled pork chops with chunky pineapple salsa might be a $20 entrée in some restaurants, but you can make it at home for a lot less. And if you don’t eat pork, try pineapple salsa on a salmon fillet instead, or perhaps a turkey burger. Genius!

If you want to stick with the classic method of serving salsa—with tortilla chips—you can still get creative. Make a standout avocado salsa by dicing the main ingredient, then adding some diced cucumber for crunch. This cooling creation will cause large baskets of blue-corn chips to magically vanish.

Finally, one of these recipes crosses into territory rarely traversed by salsa makers: desserts. (Stay with me. I’m a trained professional.) If your mouth is burning from one of your fresh, homemade salsas, the perfect antidote is a cold dish of ice cream. Of course, in this meal, ice cream serves only as a foil for a delicious berry salsa: replace the traditional tomato with an assortment of summer berries. Chile heads might want to add a little minced serrano or habanero chile to the mix. After all, chile, too, is a fruit.

¡Buen provecho!

Rocky Durham is a native Santa Fean, an educator, and a lifelong culinary professional. See more of Douglas Merriam’s work at www.douglasmerriam.com

GRILLED PINEAPPLE SALSA

Use this salsa to top any number of grilled meats for a combination of the sweet and the savory.

Yield
SERVES 6