Asian Pear + Pomegranate Salsa

I love when Asian pears and pomegranates start popping up at the market. They are some of my favorite seasonal produce and I’m constantly trying to think of ways to incorporate them in my cooking.

Some friends and I recently had a taco night and one of the things I volunteered to bring was salsa. It was a perfect opportunity to come up with a fresh, seasonal salsa…cue said Asian pear and pomegranate!

I combined those two ingredients with some of the traditional flavors you’d see in a fresh salsa – jalapeno, cilantro, red onion and lime. The result was better than I could have imagined. The salsa was fresh, acidic, and crisp – the perfect compliment to the richness of the carnitas tacos. It was such a crowd-pleaser and a fun detour from the classic pico de gallo (although don’t get me wrong – that always has a place on my Taco Tuesday spread!).

I hope you love this recipe as much as I do (although you can barely call it a recipe – it’s so easy to pull together!). Top your tacos with it, dip your chips in it, or even serve a big spoonful of it on your guacamole!

Makes ~2 cups salsa

INGREDIENTS

• 3 medium Asian pears, pealed and cut into 1/4-inch dice

• Juice from 3 limes

• Zest from 1 lime

• 1/2 jalapeno, minced

• 1/2 medium red onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice

• 1 bunch cilantro, minced

• 2 Tbsp minced fresh mint

• Perils from 2 pomegranates

• Kosher salt

METHOD

1. Combine the Asian pear with the lime juice (do this step first to help prevent the Asian pear from oxidizing).

2. Stir in the lime zest, jalapeno, red onion, cilantro, and pomegranate and season with a big pinch of salt, to taste.

NOTES

• If you can’t find Asian pears, you can use apple (I prefer honeycrisp or pink lady) kohlrabi, or even jicama. The idea here is to use something crisp and slightly sweet.

• If you aren’t a fan of spice, you can remove the seeds + ribs from the jalapeno and/or add less than what the recipe calls for. It’s really up to you!