Most of the time, being one of those cooks who isn't big on measuring or following recipes too closely ("a pinch here, a handful there") works out great. I feel like I typically end up with tasty food, and I have a good intuition about what works and what doesn't. But every once in awhile, it comes back to bite you. This recipe was one of those times. Although, don't mistake me here -- because it was still REALLY good, and I am for sure going to make it again...but with one crucial adjustment.
shanti >> sondra
So this, my friends, is cucumber salsa. Creamy, crisp, fresh tasting, and SPICY. ERMAHGOODNESSSPIIIIIICY! That's where the mistake came in...but it worked well with the challenge for this week -- "spice it up." Spice it up I did! I got too brazen with the jalapeño addition and that was where it went wrong. Usually the jalapeños I get are not very hot, and being a lover of spicy food, I can barely taste them. So I went ahead and threw the whole thing in, seeds and all. The little voice in my head said, "Wait! You can always add more, but you can't take it out! Start with half!" But then the other voice, was all, "Quiet, you! Just do it!" Long story not any shorter, I highly recommend you make this, but go easy on the pepper, k?
CUCUMBER SALSA >>
1 large cucumber, peeled, seeded, and chopped
2 roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 jalapeño pepper, SEEDED and chopped :)
1/4 c. chopped red onion
2 cloves minced garlic
4 tbsp chopped cilantro
2 tbsp chopped parsley
1/4 c. sour cream
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. seasoned salt
1 1/2 tsp. lime juice
1 1/2 tsp. lemon juice
Mix the first seven ingredients in one bowl, mix the last 5 in another bowl, then combine. Serve with tortilla chips.
NOTES >>
// To make a vegan version, try a sour cream substitute like Tofutti's or make your own. Also, mine is a little creamier looking than yours will likely be, because I added extra sour cream to combat the heat. :)
// Reduced fat or fat free sour cream would work fine here, too, of course. If you're looking to lighten it up even further, you could even go down to just a couple of tablespoons without sacrificing too much flavor.
// Reduced fat or fat free sour cream would work fine here, too, of course. If you're looking to lighten it up even further, you could even go down to just a couple of tablespoons without sacrificing too much flavor.
// You could easily skip the parsley, and add more cilantro instead.
// This will be an awesome recipe when all of those cucumbers and tomatoes are piling up in the garden and markets later this summer! Recipe adapted from here.
This, of course, is this week's entry for the What She Ate linkup! Be sure to check out Kate at Miner Temptations and Stacy at Let It Unravel to see what kinds of healthy, spicy creations they've come up with this week. And if you'd like to join us, in two weeks we'll be tackling outdoor eats with "No Ants at this Picnic." Send any one of us an email or comment if you'd like to cook along with us!
yum, sounds good! I <3 cucumbers, but not so much spice.
ReplyDeleteleave out the pepper entirely then...it would still be awesome!
ReplyDelete