This bright, refreshing, uncooked salsa pairs well with grilled chicken, pork, fish and shellfish. It’s also tasty with quesadillas and sandwiches. Save the extra pineapple to freeze for breakfast smoothies or to grill for dessert. For a shortcut, use pre-sliced pineapple and mango available in many stores. Yield, a generous 2 cups salsa.
1-2 tablespooonsfresh chopped cilantro, mint leaves, or flat leaf parsley
1pinchsea salt
Instructions
If starting with whole pineapple
For how to cut up a pineapple see photos in post. With a sharp, heavy knife, cut the top and bottom off of the pineapple. Stand it on the flat bottom end and cut in half vertically top to bottom. Use half for the salsa and save the other half for another use. Cut the half into long quarter wedges. Lay a wedge flat on its side and trim off the tough center core. Next, lay the wedge rind side down and run a thin knife close to the rind cutting away the flesh. Cut the long strips again into several long thin slices and dice small. Place in a medium bowl. See photos in post for visual help.
If starting with pre-cut pineapple
Chop the pre-cut pineapple into small even cubes or pieces and add to a medium bowl.
How to cut up a mango
Peel the mango with a sharp vegetable peeler. Cut two mango cheeks off of the wide oval sides with the most flesh, then trim off extra mango from the narrow sides. Chop into small cubes and add to the pineapple. Discard the large oval seed when done. Add to the pineapple in a bowl.Note - you can cut the mango the grid method (with the skin on the side pieces), but you'll get finer chopped mango doing it this way.
Finish the salsa
Add the onion and red and green peppers to the bowl. Gently toss salsa and add lime juice, herbs and salt. Taste for flavor and make any personal adjustments preferred.
Notes
Pineapple note: A small fresh pineapple weighs about 3 pounds. After trimming, the yield is approximately 1 pound of fresh usable pineapple. You need half, or 8 ounces, for this recipe. Use the rest to make more salsa, freeze for smoothies, or enjoy for dessert. Substitutions:For more heat, use a hotter red pepper or green pepper, like a serrano pepper.For mild salsa, skip or use a green bell pepper or a mild Anaheim pepper.No fresh pineapple? Use canned pineapple packed in water, not syrup. You need about 6-8 ounces after drained.