Christian leads the marketing team here at DockATot but also shares a passion for all things culinary. As a father to an adorable toddler with a big appetite, he's always testing the limits of her taste pallet and as such, has some great recipes for the whole family- no matter the age of its diners. Take it away, Christian!
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I don’t know about you, but this season the cherries have been spectacular and much more affordable than years past. While my daughter enjoys them au natural, she can only eat so many before they start to tire, and as such, I’ve had the opportunity to bring back some forgotten recipes this summer that I shan’t forget again.
Cherry Salsa (+ Anything…)
Even if you’re not of the camp that’s likes to mix fruits with savories, I ask you to give this one a try. Sweet, spicy, fresh and super versatile, it’s the perfect topping for a grilled protein (pro tip: try with pork tenderloin), surprise garnish for summer tacos, or just a chatter-worthy dip for your favorite chip.
Ingredients:
· Fresh cherries
· Jalapeno
· Bell pepper
· Fresh cilantro
· Salt
· Lime
Amounts of each will depend on individual taste and appetite for spice, but I can suggest about 2 cups of pitted & diced cherries, ½ deseeded jalapeno, 2/3 of a medium bell pepper (whole if it’s smaller, half if it’s larger… c’mon, work with me), half to whole lime depending on how juicy it is, ¼ cup of chopped cilantro, and ~two pinches of salt.
A few of my own learnings:
· Get a cherry/olive pitter. It’ll save a ton of time.
· The smaller you dice, the less you’ll taste the individual flavors.
· Tune up the sweetness with red or yellow bell peppers, or tone it down with a crisp green one.
· Make sure you’ve got at least 30-60 min for this to sit before serving, but it’s not equally as fresh and exciting if you let it sit for more than 3-4 hours before serving.
Enjoy!
-Christian
Fun fact: I made a variation of this recipe for my audition for Top Chef. Turns out, they couldn’t care less what you’ve actually prepared, but instead were more interested in how “sassy” I could be. I was not enthused…
