This Peach Salsa is a mixture of fresh peaches, diced tomatoes + bell peppers, spicy jalapeño, shallots, and cilantro. Topped on mini polenta cakes for an easy summer appetizer or light lunch. Or just grab a bag of chips and enjoy this summer salsa by itself!
Last year my in-laws brought us a HUGE basket of Georgia peaches – maybe they were from South Carolina – I can’t remember. I’ll let the folks in GA and SC decide who has better peaches. They were good. Real good.
We froze bags full. Preparation for, dare I say it, winter. Each little bag was a little ray of sunlight – keeping us afloat on those long winter days.
Whoa. Let’s get back to summer here. I’m buying up all the peaches I can and preserving summer indefinitely.
Last week I made these Peachy Grilled Eggplant Stacks with Ricotta. Proving peaches can go with pretty much any food pairing.
So I was out shopping for peaches to make salsa and I somehow got “diverted” to TJ Maxx. Can you guess what happened?
I came home with a new dress and a salad spinner, of course!
How I lived without a salad spinner to dry my fresh herbs and garden greens is beyond me. Thanks TJ.
My new salad spinner made washing and drying cilantro a cinch and got me snacking on fresh, homemade salsa in record speed.
How to Make Peach Salsa
If a bag of tortilla chips and this peach salsa sounds just right for a lazy Sunday afternoon on the porch, you and I can be friends.
Step 1: Chop peaches, peppers, tomatoes, shallots and cilantro.
Step 2: Mix with honey, lime juice and salt.
Step 3: Enjoy summer peaches!
This Peach Cilantro Salsa is a mixture of fresh peaches, diced tomatoes + bell peppers, spicy jalapeño, shallots, and cilantro.
- 1 cup fresh peaches diced about 1 large peach
- 1 cup diced mixed tomatoes/tomatillos use any combo
- 1/2 cup diced orange bell pepper
- 1/2 cup chopped shallots
- 1/3 cup chopped cilantro packed
- 1 finely diced jalapeño
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 1/4 kosher salt
- 1 tsp honey or agave syrup
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Place all ingredients in a bowl.
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Mix together until evenly distributed.
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Enjoy!
Mini Polenta Cakes
To turn this peach salsa into a light meal, I topped a pan-fried polenta cake with smashed avocado and peach salsa. Crisp and golden mini cakes with loads of yum on top!
These mini polenta cakes could be served as a summer appetizer as well.
Savory polenta cakes are perfect anytime of the day. Add an egg, call it breakfast, top with avocado and salsa for a light lunch or appetizer.
- 2 cups corn grits polenta - I use Bob's Red Mill
- 7 cups water and/or vegetable broth I use 3.5 cups of each
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 Avocado mashed with 1/4 tsp salt and squeeze of lime
- 1 recipe Peach Cilantro Salsa above
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Bring water/broth to a boil in a large saucepan.
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Slowly add in polenta, stirring as you add to evenly distribute.
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Turn the heat to low so the polenta slowly cooks for 40 minutes, stirring every 5-7 minutes to prevent sticking. A bubble or two may pop to the surface as it cooks, so be careful not to get burned.
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While you wait for the polenta, prepare the peach cilantro salsa.
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When the polenta is done, turn it out onto a 9 x 13 rimmed baking sheet lined with saran or parchment paper. Spread evenly until nice and smooth. Let cool. (you can speed this up by popping it in the freezer for 5-10 minutes).
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Flip the cooled polenta over onto a cutting board. Slice or use a round cookie cutter to create individual pieces.
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Heat 2 Tbs olive oil in a pan over medium high heat. Sauté the polenta pieces 4-5 minutes on each side - resisting the urge to move them as they cook. If you move them, they will stick, when they're toasty they will release themselves.
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Top with mashed avocado and peach salsa.
Serious Eats has a great write up on properly cooking polenta here.
NOTE: all the extra odd and end polenta pieces, I pan fry and save for breakfast in the morning. They are a great faux scrambled egg with some smoky paprika, coriander + any veggies you have on hand.
Take advantage of all the juicy peaches summer has to offer and enjoy!
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