{Best Guest} Cherry and Roasted Serrano Salsa

A Cherry and Roasted Serrano Salsa exploding with bright, summery flavors. This recipe makes a BIG batch. You’re welcome.

{Best Guest} is a series of simple and unique starters, sides and salads designed to get you (and me) invited to ALLTHEBARBECUES this summer. If we play our cards right, we won’t have to use our ovens until September!

Other {Best Guest} posts include:

• Stuffed Dill Pickle Boats
• Chipotle Shrimp Slaw

I’m so ready for summer.

I mean so really, really ready for it. I kicked into summer mode the day the letter came from the NYC Department of Education telling us my son got into one of his top choice high schools. I was so relieved and so excited for him my brain just kind of exploded and it never fully recovered.

Unfortunately, that was back in April.

[clickToTweet tweet=”This Cherry and Roasted Serrano Salsa will get you on the #bbq #bestguest list!” quote=”Your friends need this salsa.” theme=”style1″]

The tension between my brain being at the beach and my body having to trudge through the rest of the regimented school year has been challenging. I can only imagine how my son feels!

But we’re almost there. So close I can taste it.

And it tastes exactly like this salsa.

Fresh and bright with a mild heat.

Feel free to turn up that heat by adding more serrano chiles. I would if I were not trying to please a heat resistant 8 year old.

According to Rick Bayless from The Feed Podcast, serranos are more consistent from chile to chile in their heat level than jalapeños. In other words, “Life is like a jalapeño. Ya never know what yer gonna get.”

Oh, good god.

Cherry and Roasted Serrano Salsa Recipe

Anyway, Rick Bayless, Master of All Things Hot and Spicy, gave me the idea to try something new and use serranos in this salsa. Plus, I’ve been wanting to expand my “peppertoire.”

I’m really on a roll.

AAAAnyway, serranos are quite spicy. Definitely use gloves when you’re handling them. Roasting them tones down the heat level a little and gives you the additional bonus of char flavor. So winning.

The cherries make this sweeter than a traditional, tomato-based salsa but it’s every bit as delicious with your favorite tortilla chip. It’s also ridiculous with fish and every kind of meat. Even steak.

In other words…just bring this salsa to your next BBQ and I challenge you NOT to bring chips along with it. Let people get creative. Believe me, they’re not gonna let it just sit there. They will find something to eat it with.

At the very least, there are always spoons around somewhere.

I brought this salsa to the party over at What’s Cookin’ Wednesday

More recipes for your gourmet Mexican-inspired menu

Flank Steak Tacos with Pico Verde

Spicy Chipotle Cauliflower Rice

Spicy Pineapple Margarita with Bubbles

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Cherry and Roasted Serrano Salsa

Prep Time

15 mins

Total Time

15 mins

 

Serrano salsa with a sweet side. Perfect for your next BBQ or Graduation Potluck.

Course: Dip/Snack

Cuisine: American

Servings: 12 people

Calories: 38 kcal

Author: Christine | Mid-Life Croissant

Ingredients

• 1 medium-sized serrano pepper
• 3 cups pitted cherries
• 1 cup roughly chopped red onion
• 1 cup packed cilantro leaves chopped
• 1 Tablespoon lime juice

Instructions

1. Wearing latex gloves, remove stem from pepper, slice in half lengthwise and remove seeds.
2. Roast on a baking sheet under the broiler, cut side down, for 10 to 15 minutes until it's got a good char on it.
3. Let cool, chop roughly and add to bowl of food processor.
4. Add all other ingredients to bowl of food processor and process until you reach desired consistency.

Recipe Notes

IMO, this recipe doesn't need salt but feel free to add if you find it bland.
Adjust heat to suit your palate.
If, like me, you have a small food processor you'll have to scrape down the sides to make sure all the ingredients get incorporated.

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