Take your homemade salsa to whole new levels of wonderfulness with this simple salsa recipe. Bring on the chips and enjoy your new favorite appetizer!
This time of year I am ALL about using all the fresh local veggies I can get my mitts on. No ear of corn or local tomato or fresh sweet-smelling herb is safe around me, because once September starts it is use-it-or-lose-it time, fresh local veggie-wise.
And one of the things I like making most of all is fresh salsa of all varieties. This particular version includes some roughly chopped shrimp, which not only gives it a nice twist, but in my book makes it totally acceptable to serve for supper. Who’s with me?
Here’s how to make shrimp salsa!
Now depending on where you get your corn and how you like it, you can either give it a quick poach in some simmering water or you can use it raw off the cob. I prefer the second option, especially with local corn which is so sweet and tender. If you do feel compelled to cook it a little, drain it under cold water so that it cools down before you add it to your salsa.
The shrimp should be peeled and cooked just until they are done, about 2-3 minutes. I like to add some Old Bay spices and lemon juice to the water, and let them cool down until they are cool enough to chop. You want them in small enough pieces that you can scoop them up with tortilla chips without (tragedy!) breaking the chip.
Take your homemade salsa to whole new levels of wonderfulness with this simple salsa recipe. Bring on the chips and enjoy your new favorite appetizer! The other key players are chopped tomatoes (big ones or cherry tomatoes, your choice) and a generous squeezing of lime juice. Season it all up with coarse salt, fresh ground pepper and a couple of shakes of hot sauce. Put it in a pretty bowl, break open the chips and maybe a little sangria, and I’m guessing nobody will miss dinner one little bit.
Enjoy those last lazy hazy days, everyone!
PrintShrimp Salsa!
Take your homemade salsa to whole new levels of wonderfulness with this simple salsa recipe. Bring on the chips and enjoy your new favorite appetizer!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 minutes
- Total Time: 12 minutes
- Yield: Serves 2 as a light main course and 4 as an appetizer 1x
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 2 tomatoes or 1 pint of cherry tomatoes, chopped
- 1 tablespoon Old Bay
- Juice from one lemon
- 1/2 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 2 ears of corn, husked and kernels cut off, either raw or simmered for a minute or two in boiling water and drained under cool water.
- 1 lime
- Salt and pepper
- Hot sauce
- Tortilla chips for serving
Instructions
- Place chopped tomatoes in a strainer over a bowl or in the sink and sprinkle with a little salt. Stir gently and let sit while you make the rest of the salsa (this is to let some of the juice escape.)
- Bring a medium pot of water to a simmer. Add Old Bay, lemon juice and shrimp. Simmer the shrimp until just done, about 2-3 minutes, and let cool. Roughly chop.
- Place corn and shrimp in a medium sized bowl.
- Zest the lime and add the zest to the bowl. Cut the lime in half and juice it and add that to the bowl as well.
- Pour in the tomatoes and with clean hands, gently mix everything together.
- Season to taste with salt, pepper and a couple shakes of hot sauce, and serve with chips.
Jen Klonsky says
(Eep on misspelling my own name! Dang iPhone keyboard.)
Kate says
Been there, done that. :d
Jen Klonsku says
Hi KMJ! How do you feel about adding cilantro to this dish?
Kate says
I am one of those who think cilantro tastes like soap…but if you are a cilantro lover I think it would be perfection. Or so my cilantro-loving friends tell me. :)