Watermelon and mint salsa

A delicious and refreshing summertime snack!

Surely I can’t be the only person who is obsessed with fruit salsa. Tomato-based ones have their time and place (and technically, a tomato is a fruit) but sometimes I want something with a bit of a different flavour profile. While I’ve had people say ‘just add more heat to your tomato salsa to make it pop’, to me, more heat does not necessarily mean more flavour. That’s where fruit salsas come in. I find that all the elements – the sweet fruit, the tangy acid (vinegar, lemon or lime), the bright herbs, the sharp onion – never overwhelm each other so you can taste each one. I encourage you to heed my recommendation to use the liquid released by the marinating watermelon to make yourself a delicious mocktail or cocktail after the salsa’s been consumed! If you’re looking for more fruit salsas, I like this easy strawberry version as well as this simple cherry one; this grilled peach salsa is amazing and so is this grilled mango and red pepper version.

Ingredients

• 4 cups (600 g) diced seedless watermelon
• 1/4 cup (15 g) finely minced red onion
• 1 medium jalapeno, seeded and minced
• 1/4 cup (10 g) minced fresh mint leaves (or cilantro, if you prefer)
• 1 tablespoon (15 mL) honey or agave syrup
• 1/4 cup (60 mL) freshly squeezed lime juice
• Few dashes hot sauce

Method

• Combine all ingredients gently in a large bowl. Taste and adjust seasoning to your preference.
• Cover and refrigerate for 1 – 24 hours so flavours can blend.
• Transfer to a serving dish with a slotted spoon, reserving accumulated liquid to make cocktails or salad dressing.
• Serve with tortilla chips or use as a condiment for grilled meat or fish.

Makes approximately 2 cups.