Papaya Salsa

Well, it's finally happened. After telling you every time that the salsa I was giving you the recipe for was one of my favorites - I'm finally, do to reader demand, giving you the recipe to a Salsa that I just don't like very much. However, It is one of the most popular salsas in the restaurant and one that I receive lots of recipe request for. It's real pretty and it has a nice sweet and sour spicy taste to it. I just happen to be one of those people that doesn't like Papaya. If you like papaya give it a try and let me know what you think. Here's a little esoterica about papayas. Papaya seeds have a peppery taste and are often dried and ground and used as a spice. Also papaya is used as a meat tenderizer and a skin conditioner.

PARTS LIST

1 papaya

Pick a papaya just like you would choose a melon. You want one that is ripe but not over-ripe. It should show color - not be green - although they will ripen just sitting around the kitchen. It should have a fruity aroma. It should have a little give when pressed with the fingers. This recipe is for a papaya about the size of a small canteloupe so if your market only sells the jumbo kind use the extra as a fruit dish - sliced and served with a squeeze of lemon or lime it’s a very popular breakfast fruit.

1/2 small onion

1 clove of garlic

2 jalapeno chiles

The jalapeno chiles we’re getting right now are not hot at all - so we’ve been substituting serrano chiles

1/2 red bell pepper

cilantro

LET'S DO IT!!

Cut the papaya in half and remove the seeds. Peel and chop the papaya - don't use a food processor or blender. Chop the onion, the garlic and the chiles - seeds and all. Chop the red bell pepper and dice the cilantro. Mix it all together in a bowl with the lemon or lime juice and you have just made a delightful tropical salsa that goes well with poultry, fish or just as a dip with chips. I didn't give you an amount on the cilantro because some of you don't like cilantro at all, some love it and some just like it a little. So use your own judgment. I think the salsa really needs the green color so if you don't like cilantro use some green onion.