When I’m in a hurry to get something – anything – in my belly, I grab some cooked protein (e.g. Slow Cooker Kalua Pig) and top it with a potent flavor booster, like spicy pineapple salsa. This sweet, crunchy, spicy, sour, and juicy condiment elevates everything you spoon it on. Plus, it keeps for a few days in the fridge. Emergency flavor booster + emergency protein = happy mommy.
Here’s what to gather to make 2 cups:
- 1½ cups (340 grams) diced pineapple
- 1 Persian cucumber, peeled, diced and seeds removed
- 1 jalapeño pepper, diced (remove ribs and seeds if you can’t stand the heat)
- ¼ cup diced red onion
- ¼ cup minced cilantro
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Juice from 1 lime
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Here’s how to make it:
Combine everything in a bowl and season to taste with salt and pepper.
That’s it.
What? You want to see the step-by-step photos and play-by-play color commentary? Then keep reading after the jump…
You can start with a fresh pineapple…
…but I don’t have time or the patience to carve out the “eyes” and chop it up.
If you wanna do it, feel free to knock yourself out.
Since I’m lazy, I normally pick up a package of cubed pineapple at Trader Joe’s or my neighborhood grocery store.
You still have some chopping to do, but it’s much less work.
Next, grab a Persian cucumber – a mini seedless cucumbers that you can find at most grocery stores. You can substitute half an English cucumber or a regular cucumber because you’re peeling it and removing the middle.
Even though Persian cukes are seedless, I scoop out the soft center before dicing it, so the salsa doesn’t get too water-logged.
To spice up the salsa, I add a diced jalapeño pepper. You can vary the heat by removing the seeds and ribs (mild) or replacing it with a habanero pepper (sweat-producing spicy).
If you’re making a kid-friendly salsa, whack off the stem…
…and cut around the seeds and ribs….
…before dicing it up.
Grab a red onion and dice up a quarter of it.
If you add too much, the onion flavor will be overwhelming. Your breath will make your spouse and kids cry, which is fun for only a few minutes.
Lastly, chop up the cilantro…
…and mix everything together in a medium sized bowl.
Always season to taste with salt and pepper.
Pretty easy, huh?
