DOUBLE DUTY CHERRY SALSA: budget friendly, fat/dairy/egg free, vegetarian option

Turn glorious cherries into a super tasty salsa for cooked meat...

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

Try this twist -- a cherry salsa with Asian seasoning.  It's colourful, tasty and rather sassy.  It is perfect for brightening up cooked chicken or duck, or poached chicken.  

 A vegetarian version is on offer, too - with or without the Asian spices - teamed with cottage or ricotta cheese spread on flatbread or toast.

Like all salsas, it's pretty easily thrown together.  It will keep well refrigerated for 4 days; if transporting to a picnic or barbecue, pop it in a large cooled jar with a tight fitting lid.    

Cost:  £2.50 (7/2022)
Makes: 1.5 cups, multiplies easily

Ingred:
   1/2 cup cherries, halved, stones removed    
   1/2 cup cherry toms, quartered 
   1/2 cup cucumber, de-seeded &  finely chopped
   2 tbsp red onion or whites of spring onions, finely sliced
   1/2 red chilli, seeds & membrane removed, finely chopped 
   zest & juice of half a lime
   1 tbsp roughly chopped coriander or green of spring onion

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

Vegetarian version:
   the Asian spices are optional
   2 tablespoons light veg oil (olive or groundnut) 
   cottage or ricotta cheese (dairy or vegan)
   flatbread, bought or made (15-minute flatbread)

Method:

1. Combine all salsa ingred except Asian spices in a large bowl; take half and roughly process with a blender (or chop further into tiny pieces)
2. Fold processed mix into the salsa ingred
3. Add Asian seasoning if using
4. Refrigerate 30 mins

For vegetarian version:

1. As above, without Asian ingred, but with couple of tablespoons light oil  
2. Spread cottage cheese/ricotta on flatbread or good toast
3. Top with salsa
4. Probably best served with knife & fork 

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 

Tip:

 Also works as a dip for tortilla or pitta chips

 * inspired by Food & Wine & Bon Appetite 

                                                           For similar recipes go to Sauces/Dips... 

Please leave a Comment in the box below

    
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.   

VEGETARIAN PICNICS: GLAMOROUS MULTLI-LAYER TORTILLA, Vegetarian, high fibre, wallet-friendly

Fibre-rich colourful veg  raise a classic Spanish Omelette to a glamorous new level..                                              

Glamorous Vegetarian Spanish Omelette with Spinach, Tomatoes & Peppers
'Perfect taste of Spain with unexpected burst of flavour from the sun blush tomatoes.  Looks as good as it tastes!'  Taster

This sturdy, chunky Spanish tortilla, beautifully strewn with colourful vegetables,  is something special.  It's as good at room temperature as it is hot.  And, as well as being an utterly delicious centrepiece for any table or picnic, it's low-fat and salt.

The recipe does involve more effort than 67's Cheat's classic tortilla but the work can be spread over a couple of days.  

If you have the time, making your own sun blush tomatoes and marinated peppers is recommended.  It's much cheaper and they do taste exceptional.  They can be prepared up to two days before needed.

If you can't be bothered, deli or jarred are fine.

The potatoes are cooked from scratch; the difference in taste and texture is noticeable, in a very good way.  If you haven't a mandolin or food processor that slices, there will be a bit of knife work.  But the potatoes are basically left alone to cook. 

67 preferred fresh spinach for texture and flavour but frozen well-drained spinach can also be used.    

There's a fair amount of olive oil in the recipe but it is a vegetarian dish and healthier than anything with animal protein.

Cost: £4.00 min, depending on whether you're buying supermarket peppers & sun blush tomatoes 
Makes: 8-12, a 20cm/8inch tortilla, 5cm/2inches deep (recipe halves nicely)

Ingred:
   12 medium eggs
   
   1 kilo potatoes; any will do but larger ones mean less slicing 
   generous handful sun-blush toms, either make-your-own OR deli OR jarred  
   generous handful marinated peppers, either make-your-own or deli or from jars
   handful fresh spinach, washed and with stems removed

  olive oil, the best you can afford (Spanish for authentic flavour but any will do)
  salt and pepper 

Equipment: large heavy-bottomed frying pan with lid
                 oven-proof round casserole dish or frying pan 21cm/8 inches across 

Method:

EXCEPTIONALLY TASTY NO SUGAR ULTRA GRANOLA, Vegan, High Protein, Budget friendly, easy

One of 67's most popular recipes ever...

Nut & Seed Ultra Granola: No-added-sugar, High-Protein

(Updated 5/19)
This vegan breakfast cereal is an exceptionally tasty, gently sweetened, lightly crunchy granola that is also very healthy.  The combination of sunflower, sesame and pumpkin seeds is said to have the same protein value of steak.

The recipe was inspired by a 20-year-old No-Sugar cookbook which the Blogger no longer has.  Changes were made for maximum taste, texture and goodness. 

It's an easy-peasy recipe -- mix, slide into the oven and allow the aroma of baked grains and nuts waft tantalisingly through your home.   

"A small bowl of porridge each day could be the key to a long and healthy life, after a major study by Harvard University found that whole grains reduce the risk of dying from heart disease..."   Daily Telegraph, 5/1/2015

67 loves organic Irish oatmeal* but standard oats are also excellent and economical.   Either way, with the money saved, berries to scatter on top become more affordable. 

The frugal can halve the amount of seeds and nuts and store the remainder in an air-tight container for next time                                   

Cost: minimum £2.00 (2019 prices)

Serves: many 

Ingred:

450gm/16oz oatmeal (not jumbo oats)

2 oz/57 gm dried, unsweetened coconut

2 oz/57 gm sunflower seeds

2 oz/57 gms sesame seeds (opt - sesame can cause an allergic reaction)

2 oz/56 gms pumpkin seeds

2-4 oz/ 57-112 oz nuts of your choice.

2 tablespoons sunflower or other veg oil (not olive)

few drops of vanilla

Method:

SINGLETON DELIGHT: BRAISE & PRAISE MEDITERRANEAN CHICKEN WINGS

End week treat: more than a snack, not quite a meal for a busy singleton...

Braise & Praise Chicken Wings 

67 usually has a few organic chicken wings* hanging about at the end of the week.

Wings - whether organic or not - are perfect for a quick evening meal that's more than a snack but not quite a meal.  Perhaps before heading out Friday night, making sure you're not revelling on an empty stomach?

The great thing about this dish is that it uses up a few of the end-of-week veg.  A bit of browning, a bit of slicing, toss things into a pan, cover it and 15 minutes later, you've a meal.  It'll also work with other chicken pieces, though cooking times will need to be adjusted.

It's deliberately free of aromatics like garlic or ginger to pander to sensitive stomachs.


Cost: £1.50-£3 + leftover veg
Serves: 1 but  multiplies easily

Ingreds:
    3-4 chicken wings
    olive or light vegetable oil

    any or all of:  
        small handful diced yellow onions OR sliced white of spring onions
        small handful mushrooms, sliced
        up to 1/2 bell pepper, in 1/2 inch/1cm slices
        tomatoes, de-seeded & in small chunks      

       2 tbsp sherry 
       2 tbsp stock or water

       1-3 tsp reduced salt soy sauce
       any other quick cooking green veg

       Garnish: sliced cucumber       

      Optional: instant noodles or defrosted rice

Method:

PINEAPPLE BLUEBERRY COCONUT BARS, an indulgence

Fresh pineapple combines with nutty coconut and blueberries for a summery treat of American-style 'bars'...

Summer Delights: Pineapple, Blueberry & Coconut 'Bars'
'Mmm. Crumbly!  Lovely taste, very very good flavour.' 'Great bars! I loved the texture,  the pineappley flavour & coconut.' Tasters

American 'bars' are a cross between a cookie and a cake, or an English crumble and a biscuit. However you define them, 67's Pineapple, Blueberry, Ginger & Coconut Bar is a knockout summer sweet

Fresh pineapple, low in sugar despite its refreshing sweetness, is a favourite of 67goingon50 especially since ripen-at-home pineapples are available at the ridiculous price of £1 (or less). 

Plain Pineapple Filling
from Crunchy Creamy Sweet

67's recipe was adapted from Crunchy Creamy Sweet and was a delight to test.  67 made one with fresh pineapple and one with tinned.  Fresh came out on top - it had stronger flavour - but the tinned was also good. 
   
Pineapple has plenty of fibre but 67 replaced a bit of the plain flour with wholemeal to add nuttiness.  

The bars are perfectly okay as they are with a plain pineapple filling.

But to add a bit of pizazz, 67 threw in a few blueberries for colour and a little chopped ginger (from syrup) for contrasting layers of sweetness.  Both these changes are optional. 



Cost:£2.50'ish (2022)
Makes: 9 large; 20 small portions
 
Ingredients:
   113gm/4oz unsalted butter 

  187.5gm/6.6oz plain flour, including 3-4 tbsp wholemeal
   85gm/3oz unsweetened coconut
   100gm/3.5oz sugar
   1/2 tsp baking soda
   1/2 tsp baking powder
   1/4 tsp salt

   290gm/10.5oz fresh pineapple, crushed & drained, if using blueberries (see  recipe below)
   OR
   315gm/generous 11 oz fresh pineapple, crushed & drained, if not using blueberries
   OR
   1 tin 435gm/143oz tin of crushed pineapple, drained
  
   3 tbsp sugar (67 used 2 generous tbsp of molasses sugar; it was fine)
   2 tbsp cornstarch (67 was out of cornstarch and used rice flour instead which was fine; you could also use ground almonds)

     2 handfuls blueberries (opt) 
   2 balls ginger from syrup, finely diced (opt)



Method:

1. Line an 8x8inch/20x20cm pan, metal if possible, with greaseproof paper leaving a large overhang
2. Melt butter gently; cool a little; place in fridge 4 mins
3. Preheat oven to 180c/350f
4. Pour coconut into a dry pan; bake in oven 5 mins or until beginning to brown; add to dry ingred in a med bowl; whisk
5. Add cooled butter; mix with a fork until mixture forms crumbs
6. Remove a scant cup of the crumble mix; set aside; pour the rest of the mix into the baking pan and press down to form an even base; smooth out with the back of a measuring cup
7. Mix pineapple, sugar and cornstarch; pour over base, spreading to edges
8. Scatter over blueberries and ginger, if using
9. Cover with rest of crumble mix 
10. Bake in centre of oven 25mins or until deeply browned
11. Cool
12. Remove from tin by lifting greaseproof paper; slice into bars

Jazzed Up (Uncut) Version with Blueberries & Ginger from Syrup

Comments:

• 'Mmm!  This would be ideal in a summer buffet, in cupcake holders because they're very crumbly.  They're nice and sweet; all the flavours work to form a singular whole - no one ingredient dominates.' Political Agent
• 'Great bars! I loved the texture and the pineapple-y flavour. Slight hint of coconut is always a winner as well.  They’re incredibly more-ish!  One of your best for sure.' Campaign Manager
• 'Delicious!' Armed Forces Charity Senior Rep
• 'Gorgeous!' London underground train driver

Tips:

• The coconut in 67's bars were not as dry as those photographed for Crunchy Creamy Sweet, despite toasting the coconut separately in the oven for 5 minutes.  The bars were baked in 67's pyrex/glass baking dish - a metal one might be more suitable.
• See How to...deal with fresh pineapple 

More fruity desserts on NavBar: RecipesI

Please leave a comment in the box below

This recipe has  been adapted  by B M Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises.  It may not be reproduced without the author's written permission.

SUMMER MEAT FEAST: EASIEST MOST DELICIOUS CHICKEN IN THE WORLD

Chicken, Jim, but not as we know it!  Astonishingly succulent, sweet & tender   

original post 2016; updated 2024  

Clean, Green Lean & Mean: Poached Chicken with Cherry Salsa 

  

Don't be put off by the simplicity of this recipe; chicken cooked by poaching is silken and velvety, succulent and tender, bringing out the 'chickeness' of the bird.  The result is so moist and delectable, people will wonder whether it's a different breed of chicken. 

The tender, yielding flesh provides a pillowy vehicle for a trio of bold sauces: piquant ginger and scallion, oyster or hoisin sauce and reduced salt soy sauce.  Or you could go for a (fat-free) Cherry Salsa with Oriental spices.

Every family in Asia has a version of this dish; it's health-giving and easy to digest.  Prepared several hours in advance, it's ideal for buffets; it also provides an excellent cold or room-temperature alternative to blazing hot meats just off the barbecue. 

Chicken cooked in this way is more like a delicacy than boring 'rubber' chicken.  And you end up with a glorious broth for freezing.  

The chicken takes only minutes to prepare.  And, in a fuel-conscious world, cooking time last only twenty minutes; the residual heat of the stock does the rest.  Don't go over the resting time or hold back on the ice; the chicken can dry out otherwise.

This is not a frugal dish but it is a memorable one.

Cost: up to £10, depending on the chicken*
Serves: about 6-8 with sides

Ingred:

   1 whole chicken 1-1 1/2 k/ 2 1/2-3 lbs, skinned (the best you can afford) , 

   6 slices ginger 1/4 in/1/2 cm thick
   6 spring onions, floppy leaves removed and bottoms trimmed, cut in three
   6 whole peppercorns or 1/2 tsp coarse black pepper
   a splash of dry sherry/white wine/white grape juice (opt)

    English Bibbs (soft) lettuce

Ginger & green onion Sauce
  3 tsp grated ginger
  6 tbsp finely chopped white spring onions
  3 tbsp groundnut/peanut oil
  1 generous tsp grated garlic (opt)
   

Method:

(You'll need a pot large enough to cover the chicken with liquid; a vertical stock pot is ideal but any large stock pot will do.) 

1. Place chicken in stock pot; cover with water
   
2. Bring to the boil; skim off froth; reduce heat to low 
3. Add green onions, ginger, pepper & sherry, if using
4. The water should be bubbling slightly - too much toughens the fibres
5. Cover with lid; simmer 20 min 
6. Turn off heat source; remove pot from heat, set aside & rest 1 hour; the chicken will carry on cooking
7. Prepare a large bowl of iced water  
8. Remove chicken from broth and plunge into iced water; set aside
9. Strain broth through a sieve; discard vegetables & pepper.  Cool broth one hour then refrigerate overnight.  (Scrape off fat layer on top; use as broth within 3 days or freeze.)
10. Remove chicken from iced water; pat dry; discard cooling water 
11. Serve at room temperature 
12. Carve flesh (see How to...Carve a Chicken).  Place leg meat underneath and breast meat on top in a pleasing mound. 
13. Serve with Ginger Scallion Sauce and Reduced Salt Soy Sauce and/or Oyster Sauce OR  for a more westernised take, cherry salsa
14. Ginger & Scallion Sauce: Put ginger & spring onions in heatproof bowl; heat oil until very hot and pour over - the ginger and spring onions will sizzle.  Stir and pour into a serving bowl 

Tips:

• If you don't have a large enough pot, use the largest lidded pot you have.  Cut chicken into sections: legs & breasts.  Proceed as above but reduce cooking time by 5 mins.
• Recommended brands for lower-salt soy sauce: Amoy & Pearl River Bridge

*organic chickens are available at most major supermarkets for £12 (2021)

More Chicken on NavBar/Recipes I

Please leave a Comment in the box below

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

NO-SUGAR, HIGH PROTEIN ULTRA GRANOLA (OATMEAL), Heart-friendly, Vegan, sugar-free, high fibre & protein; easy

"A small bowl of porridge each day could be the key to a long and healthy life, after a major study by Harvard University found that whole grains reduce the risk of dying from heart disease..."   Daily Telegraph, 5/1/2015

                        Nut & Seed Ultra Granola: No-added-sugar, High-Protein 

photo 15/6/16

(Updated 5/19)
This vegan breakfast cereal is an exceptionally tasty, gently sweetened, lightly crunchy granola that is also very healthy.  The combination of sunflower, sesame and pumpkin seeds is said to have the same protein value of steak.

The recipe was inspired by a 20-year-old No-Sugar cookbook which the Blogger no longer has.  Changes were made for maximum taste, texture and goodness. 

It's an easy-peasy recipe -- mix, slide into the oven and allow the aroma of baked grains and nuts waft tantalisingly through your home.   

67 likes organic Irish oatmeal* but economical standard oats are also excellent.   Either way, with the money saved, berries to scatter on top become more affordable. 

The frugal can halve the amount of seeds and nuts and store the remainder in an air-tight container for next time                                   

Cost: min £3.00'ish depending on oatmeal (8/23 )

Serves: many; recipe halves or doubles nicely

Ingred:

450gm/16oz oatmeal (not jumbo oats)

2 oz/57 gm dried, unsweetened coconut

2 oz/57 gm sunflower seeds

2 oz/57 gms sesame seeds (opt - sesame can cause an allergic reaction)

2 oz/56 gms pumpkin seeds

2-4 oz/ 57-112 oz nuts of your choice.

2 tablespoons sunflower or other veg oil (not olive)

few drops of vanilla

Method:

BREAKFAST WRAP, Lebanese-style, healthy, make-ahead

A few minutes in the morning & a healthy gorgeous breakfast roll is ready to take-away...

Take-out Breakfast Rolls, Lebanese Style
'Totally delicious; fresh mint makes the spicing come alive. Will definitely try making these.' Taster

The Lebanese apparently tuck an omelette into their to-go breakfast wraps.  67 still doesn't know what else goes in the wrap but the idea was intriguing enough for an experiment.  

A soft, spicy chickpea flour wrap was lined with a plain omelette.  A healthy salsa of breakfast-y things - fresh tomato, mushrooms, red onion, avocado, cucumber, mint and lime - was dolloped on top.  The salsa was enrobed in an exotic Middle Eastern dressing of Tahini,  Mint and Yoghurt.  

The result was something quite, quite special; lovely to eat, satisfying but refreshing.  

To help alleviate 'morning madness',  the wraps can be mostly prepared the the night before.  There will be only a few finishing touches in the morning. 

The chickpea flour wraps are easy to make though they must be started several hours before preparation.  Commercial wraps are also suitable but the spices in the chickpea wraps will need to be added to the tahini sauce (see Tips below). 

Cost: £1.50
Makes: 2 (recipe multiplies easily)

Ingred: 

Chickpea flour wraps:
   1/2 cup chickpea flour
   1/2 c water
   3/4  tbsp olive oil
   1/4 tsp salt
  
   1  tsp dried coriander
   1 tsp cumin
   1 tsp garam masala
   1/2  tsp tumeric   

   1/4 tsp chilli powder

Salsa:
    1 tomato
    2 tbsp red onion finely dice 
    2 mushrooms in med dice
    3-4 tablespoons cucumber, in med dice
    juice of 1/2 lime
    2 tbsp fresh mint, coarsely chopped

    1/2-1 avocado
   

Tahini Mint Sauce
      100g/3 1/2oz thick 0-fat yoghurt (Skyr would be perfect)
      2 generous tbsp mayonnaise

      1 tsp lime juice or white wine vinegar
      1 tbsp chopped fresh mint or 2 tsp dried  
      pepper & salt
      2 tbsp good tahini, to taste
      1/2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds (opt)
      1/4 tsp tabasco (opt)

Omelettes
   2-3 med eggs, beaten and seasoned


Method:

VELVET HUMMOUS WITH BEETROOT. vegan, oil & gluten-free, wallet-friendly

'Artisanal' beetroot houmous, an astonishing, unbeatable treat: home-made, wallet-friendly   

'Best ever hummus: looks and smells amazing...smooth & velvety...it's a hit!' Taster

Hummous lovers will find this gorgeous, unbelievably fabulous hummus unforgettable -- in the best way.  Even the most reluctant hummus eater will be impressed.  

It is presented to readers with the greatest of pleasure.  One of the great delights for a food blogger is to discover dishes that are out-of-this-world scrumptious but out of the reach of ordinary budgets.  And then recreate them at half the cost, or less.  

A gorgeous commercial product, 'me too! hummous', beetroot flavour, was featured in a recent post.  At nearly £3 for 250gms, it was one of those 'expensive but worth it' treats.   

Inspired, 67 tinkered with a standard hummous recipe to try to recreate the  wonderful texture and flavour of the silken new product.  The result?  A smooth, creamy, pretty, absolutely more-ish dip/spread -- several cuts above any commercial product.  

And, it was miraculously oil-free -- a boon for dieters. (It was an accident -- 67 forgot to include olive oil in the first trial!)

The small amount of beet added a hint of sweetness which should tempt small fussy eaters.  67's (middle-aged) taster said the beetroot added to the overall yumminess but wasn't obvious; he loved the colour. 

Standard cupboard ingredients are used -- there's no need to rush out to buy nearly-as-expensive-as-gold black tahini, for example.  

But dried chickpeas are necessary.  There is a bit of faff involved in the prep though the steps are simple -- the chickpeas are soaked overnight and cooked in a slow cooker.  Then they must be peeled.  (I know!)   But the outer layer sloughs off easily; kids can help and the task can be done watching telly.

Velvet Hummous with Beetroot would be a knock-out hit at any party.  

Cost: £1'ish
Makes: 500gm/17oz

Ingredients:
   150gm dried chickpeas or 1 1/2 cups reconstituted 
   small to med cooked beetroot (supermarket beetroot, rinsed of vinegar, is fine)
   1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
   2 tbsp good tahini, stirred well 
   1/2-2/3 tsp salt
   1/4 tsp pepper
   1 med-to-large clove garlic, grated
   1/3 tsp cumin
   1/3 cup chickpea cooking water (if you forget, add 1/4 tsp veg granules to the same amount of water)

Method:

STUNNINGLY DELICIOUS ALMOST-INSTANT TOMATO SOUP, unbelieveably easy and tasty,10mins max

You've got to try this!  It's the most tomato-ey soup ever.  And it's ready in 10 mins max.

updated 11/25; first posted 2017

10-Minute Tomato Soup with Cheddar Garnish
'Tastes like the tomatoes have just been picked with the Med in full view.' Taster

Almost Instant Tomato Soup is so quick, easy and darned delicious, you'll never consider tinned tomato soup again. 

This recipe -- method borrowed from Stephen Harris of the Telegraph -- is ever so easy on the wallet; if you stick to yoghurt rather than cream, it's healthier too.  The soup is ideal for students, busy moms or small households but also translates for parties. 

You'll need a food processor or smoothie maker -- a stick blender may not be powerful enough to break down the tomato seeds.  Straining the soup would lead to a loss of nutritional value.

67 used common all garden supermarket tomatoes, 450gm for just over a pound. It produced enough mind-blowing soup for one (greedy) person but there's nothing to stop you stretching the mix by adding good stock and garnishing with bits of leftover meat, fish or cheese. 

Cost: £2'ish. 9/2025
Feeds: 1-2; multiplies easily

Ingred:
   1/2 kilo/1 lb tomatoes
   1/2 tbsp olive oil
   1-2 tbsp plain thick yoghurt or single, double or clotted cream
   s & p
   herbs (opt)

Method:

1. Quarter toms
2. Heat a deep, heavy-bottomed pan on high
3. Blitz toms in food processor or smoothie maker 1 min, add salt
4. When pan is smoking hot, add olive oil then carefully add tomatoes (stand back; it will spit)
5. Turn heat down a little but let the mix bubble away 1-2 mins or until beginning to thicken
6. Return half to blender; put lid on 
7. Hold a tea towel over the top (to stop boiling hot soup from flying everywhere, especially on you!) Blitz.
8. Repeat step 6 with remainder
9. Stir in yoghurt or cream and herbs if using
10. Serve

Tip:
Leftovers can be diluted with stock and served with protein.  For frugal days, add leftover rice, pasta or veg to make the soup go further.

Please leave a Comment in the box below

This recipe has been adapted by B M Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises.  It may not be reproduced without the author's written permission

CHERRY SALSA, No-fat, Double-Duty with vegetarian option, Easy-Peasy, wallet-friendly

Turn glorious cherries into a super tasty salsa for cooked meat... 

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

Salsas are perfect at this time of year with the abundance of wonderful UK fruit and veg begging to be turned into colourful and tasty dishes.

This salsa* unusually uses cherries and is perfect for brightening up leftover cooked chicken or duck, or for poached chicken.  67 has given it an Oriental twist.  A vegetarian version is on offer, too, without the Asian spices, but mixed with cottage or ricotta cheese and spread on flatbread or toast.

Like all salsas, it's pretty easily thrown together.  It will keep well refrigerated for 4 days; if transporting to a picnic or barbecue, pop it in a large cooled jar with a tight fitting lid.    

Cost:  £1.50
Makes: 1 1/2 cups, multiplies easily

Ingred:
   1/2 cup cherries, halved, stones removed    
   1/2 cup cherry toms, quartered 
   1/2 cup cucumber, de-seeded &  finely chopped
   2 tbsp red onion or whites of spring onions, finely sliced
   1/2 red chilli, seeds & membrane removed, finely chopped 
   zest & juice of half a lime
   1 tbsp roughly chopped coriander or green of spring onion

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

Vegetarian version:
   the Asian spices are optional
   2 tablespoons light veg oil (olive or groundnut) 
   cottage or ricotta cheese
   flatbread, bought or made (15-minute flatbread)

Method:

1. Combine all salsa ingred except Asian spices in a large bowl; take half and roughly process with a blender (or chop further into tiny pieces)
2. Fold processed mix into the salsa ingred
3. Add Asian seasoning if using
4. Refrigerate 30 mins

For vegetarian version:

1. As above, without Asian ingred, but with couple of tablespoons light oil  
2. Spread cottage cheese/ricotta on flatbread or good toast
3. Top with salsa
4. Probably best served with knife & fork 

Tip:  also works well  as a dip for tortilla or pitta chips

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

 * 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.