Farm to Table: Homemade Salsa Straight from Liberty County

Here in Liberty County we have access to fresh fruits and vegetables offered at roadside stands or local farmers markets pretty much year round. The locals like to frequent Fleming Farmers Market over on Hwy 196 or visit the downtown Hinesville Farmers Market at Gap Park on Thursday evenings. Salsas are such a great way to bring in lots of those fresh vegetables and fruits. Next time you are craving chips and salsa or needing the perfect salsa to pair with your tacos, check out these delicious recipes we love!

Simple Salsa

This is a basic salsa recipe with no extra frills, but it is so good!

Ingredients

• 1 Large onion, Vidalia preferred
• Tomatoes*
• 4 large Banana Peppers
• 1 large Bell Pepper
• 1 seeded jalapeno
• 2 juiced limes
• 2 fresh cloves of garlic
• Salt & Pepper, to taste
• Crushed Red Pepper, to taste
• Fresh Cilantro, to taste

Directions:

1. Wash all of the veggies that are going into the salsa.
2. Chop all of the veggies into bite-size pieces and put them into a food processor along with the cilantro, two cloves of garlic chopped and lime juice. For the jalapenos, you can include some seeds for whatever level of spice you want.
3. “Pulse” everything in the food processor. In a mixing bowl, mix the pulsed veggies and the additional spices together. Serve salsa at room temperature and enjoy!

*You can use whichever type of tomatoes you like and prefer! There is also no set quantity of how many tomatoes to use in this recipe, you can add as many or as little as you want.

Crunchy Summer Salsa

The slight crunch the cucumber adds to this salsa is so satisfying! This is also a great way to incorporate those Georgia peaches, to add just a hint of sweetness.

Ingredients

• 1 cup diced fresh peaches
• ½ cup diced cucumber
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded (if desired) and diced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt

Directions

1. Stir together peaches, cucumber, jalapeno pepper, minced garlic, cilantro, lime juice and salt in a small bowl.
2. Enjoy topped on tacos or with chips and enjoy!

Avocado-Corn Salsa

This is a refreshingly light and summery salsa. This is a great alternative if you are looking for something a little different than a typical salsa.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon lime zest
• ¼ cup fresh lime juice
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• ¼ teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
• 2 cups fresh corn kernels
• 1 cup halved grape tomatoes
• 1 small avocado, diced
• 1/3 cup diced red onion
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Whisk together lime zest, lime juice, canola oil, Dijon mustard and dried crushed red pepper in a large bowl.
2. Stir in corn kernels, halved grape tomatoes, diced avocado, diced red onion, basil and cilantro.
3. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Southwest Salsa

This southwest salsa is very much like the simple salsa recipe shared above, but with corn and black beans added in.

Ingredients

• 1 large onion, Vidalia preferred
• Tomatoes
• 4 large Banana Peppers
• 1 large Bell Pepper
• 2 juiced Limes
• 1 fresh clove of garlic
• Salt & pepper, to taste
• Fresh Cilantro, to taste
• Silver Queen, 1 ear steamed and removed from cob
• 1 can of black beans, well washed and drained

Directions

1. Wash all of the veggies that are going into the salsa.
2. Rinse & drain the beans and set them aside with the corn after it has been taken from the cob.
3. Chop all of the veggies into bite-size pieces and put them into a food processor along with the cilantro, one clove of garlic chopped and lime juice.
4. “Pulse” everything in the food processor. In a mixing bowl, mix the pulsed veggies, the black beans, corn, salt & pepper. Serve salsa at room temperature and enjoy!

We hope these recipes will inspire you to venture out to the Fleming Farmers Market, the downtown Hinesville Farmers Market or make a stop at any of the roadside produce stands. Both are perfect opportunities to #exploreliberty, find some of the freshest produce around and meet some friendly locals!