Why are cherries so good?
Seriously—why?
I’m in that summer phase where I want cherries in everything. Love it or hate it, I’m curious: is there anyone who truly doesn’t like cherries? If you do dislike them, thank you for reading—and tell me why.
I’ve wanted to make a smoky, grilled cherry salsa for years. Every summer when we visit Michigan I always gush about American Spoon, but I should also admit we go a little overboard at Cherry Republic. They have cherry everything—cherries with chocolate, cherries in wine, cherries in trail mix and even cherry mustard—plus endless samples. We buy jars of their salsas and bring them home, and they never last long.
Their original cherry salsa is sweet and delicious, but I wanted a version that tastes like summer on the grill—smoky, bright, and a little spicy. Fruit salsas make up a big portion of the recipes I love: fresh chopping, seasonal fruit, sweet onions, cilantro, lime, sometimes a bit of heat and sometimes tomatoes. Lately I’ve been into restaurant-style salsas that are more pureed than chunky, and this recipe is inspired by those.
I first made a similar, almost-pureed salsa for a cooking class after Max was born, and we’ve been hooked ever since. This recipe follows that style, though you can always chop everything coarsely by hand if you prefer texture. Either way, this salsa is incredibly versatile.
Use it on fajitas, fish, fish tacos, scallops, shrimp, roasted sweet potatoes, tortilla chips or pita chips. Control the level of heat by leaving in or removing jalapeño seeds, and skip the grilling step if you don’t want any smokiness—raw ingredients will make a bright, fresher salsa.
I usually can’t eat spoonfuls of savory restaurant-style salsa because raw onions and garlic get to me, but with this cherry salsa I found myself eating it by the spoonful. It’s also great on eggs—the sweet and savory contrast really works.
Grilled Cherry Salsa
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Ingredients
- 1 small red onion, peeled and sliced in half
- 1 small sweet onion, peeled and sliced in half
- 2 jalapeño peppers
- 2 cups pitted bing cherries
- 2 garlic cloves
- 3 to 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 limes, juiced
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can fire roasted tomatoes
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
- salt and pepper to taste about 1/4 teaspoon each to start
Instructions
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Preheat your grill to high heat.
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Rub the onions and jalapeños with olive oil, reserving about 1 tablespoon for the cherries. Place the onions and jalapeños on the grill and char them until the skins bubble and blacken, about 2 to 3 minutes, turning often. Remove and let cool slightly. Cut the onions into a few pieces. Slice the tops off the jalapeños and halve them; remove all seeds from all but one half if you want milder heat. Keep seeds for a spicier salsa.
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Place the pitted cherries (and garlic cloves, if desired) in a grill basket or tray and toss with the reserved olive oil. Grill until cherries begin to burst, blister, and release juices, about 2 to 3 minutes, tossing occasionally.
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In a food processor, combine the fire-roasted tomatoes, grilled onions, grilled jalapeños, grilled garlic, lime juice and most of the grilled cherries (reserve a few whole cherries for garnish if you like). Pulse to your preferred consistency—smooth for a restaurant-style salsa or a few more pulses for texture. Stir in chopped cilantro, taste, and season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate in an airtight container for a few days.
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