The Talking Heads and Heirloom Tomato Salsa

Talking Heads - Once in a Lifetime

Happy Friday my lovelies! Even though the work week was short, I'm still just as ready as ever for this weekend. Some friends and I will be trying out Fort Mason's food truck haven, Off the Grid, tonight, and I'm definitely excited to tell you all about it. I haven't enjoyed the full experience of Off the Grid yet, but I have tasted the mouth watering goodness of San Francisco's famous food trucks. That, alone, will make it an excellent evening. On a different note, I just received The Happiness Project in the mail, and after page one, I am already inspired (hence the Talking Heads track.) Once in a while, it's great to take a step back and reflect on how you got to where you are today. Too often we become absorbed in our daily routines and forget to stop and enjoy the precious time we have each day. This weekend, take a moment to ask yourself, "How did I get here?" Soak in the moments that have brought you to the current point in your life and see if you like what you find. Hope you all have fabulous weekends! I'll leave you with this yummy heirloom tomato salsa recipe that I'm planning to make after my visit to the Farmer's Market. See you all next week! xx

Fire Roasted Heirloom Salsa

The Parsley Thief

(Image and recipe gratefully taken from The Parsley Thief)

Makes 4 cups

2 pounds assorted heirloom tomatoes
1 medium red onion, cut into quarters
1 bell pepper, seeded + cut in half
2 jalapeno peppers, or to taste
1 tablespoon vegetable oil + more for grill
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 large cloves of garlic, pressed
1 lime
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
special equipment: a grill basket, or grid

Preheat a grill on high heat, and rub a grill basket generously with oil.

Cut half of the tomatoes into large pieces, and arrange on a rimmed baking sheet. To the pan, also add the quartered red onion, bell pepper halves, and the jalapeno peppers. Toss together with the vegetable oil, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and black pepper, until evenly coated. Arrange all of the veggies on the grill basket, and roast, turning occasionally, until tender and beginning to char on the edges. Remove from the grill, place back on the baking sheet, and let cool slightly.

Once cool enough to handle, medium dice all of the roasted vegetables, and place in a large bowl. Note: for the jalapeno peppers, I removed the seeds and stems before dicing to cut back on the heat a bit. You can adjust this according to your preference. If you'd like your salsa very spicy, dice them as is, seeds and all.

Medium dice the remaining raw tomatoes, and add them to the bowl. Add the garlic, juice of one lime, and chopped cilantro. Stir to combine. Taste for seasoning, add in the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt, if desired, and serve.

Note: You can make this salsa well ahead of time. It tastes great for days, and only gets better as the flavors have a chance to blend.