EXOTIC CHERRY SALSA TOAST TOPPER WITH CREAM CHEESE: lower carb, budget-friendly, good fibre, vegetarian or animal protein; vegan option

Turn glorious cherries into a sensationally tasty salsa for a vegetarian toast topper or carb-free duck/chicken rolls... 

Ready for a close-up: Cherry Salsa with an Asian Twist 
'Sounds improbable but the cherry & onion blend so well; it's good with meat'

Apparently, it's going to get more difficult to find ready-made sandwiches in the shops due to rising prices for ingredients as well as difficulties in finding staff.  

But sandwiches are so easy to make yourself.

A well-made sandwich with a generous and/or snazzy selection of ingredients becomes much more than a snack, if not quite a meal.  And as the cost of living crisis bites, you can't do much better than that.

This recipe is presented in two-ways:

 Toast Topper & Carb-free Duck Rolls:
Both should probably be eaten with a knife and fork!

(1) an open-faced toast topper, 1 not 2 slices bread.  (But traditional 2-slice sandwiches will be fine.)  Just buy the best bread/rolls you can to show off this colourful tasty topping at its best.  Supermarket sourdough, the budget verion of proper artisan loaves, works well.  

(2) a bread-free Duck Salsa Roll.  Carnivore tasters loved the vegetarian topper combined with leftover poultry; the two together amped up flavours.

Like all salsas, Exotic Cherry Salsa is easily thrown together.  

It will keep well in the fridge 4 days; if transporting to a picnic or barbecue, pop it in a large cooled jar with a tight fitting lid lined with a couple of layers of cling film.    

Cost:  £2.75 (7/2022) incl cream cheese
Makes: 1.5 cups, multiplies easily

Ingred:

Salsa: 
   1/2 cup cherries, halved, stones removed (if large, quarter cherries)  
   1/2 cup cherry toms, halved
   1/2 cup cucumber, de-seeded & chopped in the same size as cherries
   2 tbsp finely chopped red onion pickled 10 mins in 1 tbsp vinegar, large pinch of salt & large pinch sugar 
   1 med red chilli, seeds & membrane removed, finely chopped (you really do need a good amount of chilli) 
   zest & juice of half a lime
   1 tbsp finely sliced green of spring onion

Asian additions: (optional but recommended, esp for carnivores)

   1 tsp reduced-salt soy sauce
   1 tsp dry sherry
   1 generous tsp finely grated peeled fresh ginger
   1/4 tsp 5-spice powder

For duck rolls: leaves of firm lettuce like Gems, washed and dried thoroughly (photo shows soft lettuce but something crisper holds the shape better; try also romaine or iceberg)

Vegetarian open faced sandwich:   

   1-2 tablespoons light veg oil (olive or groundnut) 
   100gm/3.5oz plain cream cheese  (dairy or vegan) OR for the frugal, cottage cheese pureed until smooth & seasoned
   good seeded wholemeal bread, toasted, OR flatbread, bought or home-made (15-minute flatbread)

Method:

1. Combine all salsa ingred in a large bowl; take half and roughly process with a blender (or chop further into tiny pieces)
2. Add processed ingredients back into the salsa bowl
3. Refrigerate at least 30 mins or overnight
4. Taste: add more salt, pepper or chilli to taste 

Vegetarian Toast Topper:

1. Stir a tablespoon or so of light oil into the cream cheese; spread generously over 2 large slices of good toast OR warm flatbreads, leaving a slight rim around the edges 
2. Drain salsa; scatter generously over the cream cheese, pressing down slightly to prevent spillage

No-carb Duck Salsa Rolls

1. Arrange 2 thin or 1 generous slice duck or chicken in the centre of the leaf 
2. Spread a generous tablespoon salsa over the meat
3. Secure with a cocktail stick

Comments:
'The mixture sounds improbable until you try it; the cherry and onion blend so well.  It's perfect with cold meat and good bread but would also be good as a topping for melon.'  Political Agent 

'The salsa is gorgeous with cream cheese on toast and the chilli adds a really nice hit.' Political activist 

Tips:

 1. For the ultra frugal, replace cream cheese with cottage cheese processed until smooth and seasoned with salt and pepper

2.  The salsa is a perfect accompaniment for poached chicken,

3.  Leftovers: Mix cream cheese and salsa with enough yoghurt to make a loose'ish dip for crudités, pitta chips or crisps  

  

 

* inspired by Food & Wine & Bon Appetite 

                                                           For similar recipes go to Sauces/Dips... 

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This recipe has been developed by B  Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises and may not be reproduced, in any form, without the author's written permission.