Two years ago, I was dining at a charming Colorado restaurant with my parents when the waiter (after hearing us discussing our latest culinary projects) brought out a special batch of salsa that he had made earlier that day. In it was a mixture of typical salsa ingredients (tomato, jalapeno, and onion) along with not-so common additions like blueberries and watermelon.
I don’t think we’ve ever eaten a bowl of salsa so quickly.
It was truly unique and perfect in its simplicity.
As he proudly told us what was in the spectacular salsa, I scribbled a few notes down on a scrap of paper, fully intending on recreating it once I got home.
Fast forward two years later, and try as I might (and believe me, I tried), that scrap of paper had disappeared. One too many purse-purges and wallet reorganizations and it had no doubt made its way to the trash.
Even a truly memorable salsa was no match for my short-term memory; being that I am capable of forgetting what we ate for dinner two days ago, I should not have expected to remember a salsa that I had enjoyed two years earlier.
But yet each summer, as blueberries overflowed the market stands and watermelons weighted down our CSA baskets, I kept thinking of that salsa. And so finally, with the blueberries making their final stand before they disappear for another year, I knew I had to dig deep and try my best to remember.
I have no way of knowing if I got it exactly right; while I remembered there being cantaloupe in the salsa, my mom is adamant that there was no such thing (I think she’s right in this case, as we tested it both ways and it is truly better without). Tomato? Neither of us could recall. But after testing it both Taylor and I agreed that it provides a necessary foundation; a quick whir in the food processor together with the onion and jalapeno (rather than leaving it chunky) ensures you get a bit of sweetness and spice in every bite. It’s the perfect blending of traditional and fruit salsas: the brightness of the cilantro and spicy kick from the jalapeno are offset beautifully by the summer sweetness of the blueberries and watermelon.
This, my friends, is a salsa worth remembering.
Watermelon Blueberry Salsa
Ingredients:
- 4 small Roma tomatoes, roughly chopped
- 1/2 small onion, chopped
- 1 jalapeno, chopped (discard seeds for a milder salsa)
- 1 cup diced watermelon
- 1/2 cup fresh blueberries
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- 3 tablespoons lime juice (from 1 lime)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Directions:
- Combine tomatoes, onion, and jalapeno in the bowl of a food processor; pulse briefly or until finely chopped (do not fully liquefy). If you don’t have a food processor, you can finely chop the ingredients by hand.
- Transfer tomato mixture to a medium bowl; stir in watermelon, blueberries, cilantro, lime juice, and salt.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to develop.
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