May, in particular, is a great month to entertain and make fresh salsa at home. Obviously, we have Cinco de Mayo and it's also National Salsa Month. So there's a lot of salsa going on. If I were you, I'd stray from the norm just a bit with fresh fruit instead of tomato. Both the Strawberry and Mango/Cucumber Salsas are wonderful with just tortilla chips, but if you have leftovers, they're also great on top of grilled fish or chicken. Or stirred into leftover rice with some chopped parsley for a quick lunch. A soft-boiled egg on top makes a heartier meal. You'll see: the uses are endless. Happy spring, and happy salsa making.

Spring Strawberry Salsa
As with the mango salsa, if you prefer a spicier salsa, feel free to keep the seeds from the jalapenos and add them in. I call to discard them here just because I think a milder salsa is really nice with both of these fruits, but feel free to adapt to suit your spice threshold.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: n/a
Total Time: 15 minutes

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients:
16 ounces strawberries (2 1/2 cups), rinsed, hulled, and finely diced
1 jalapeno, minced; ribs and seeds discarded
2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
1 shallot, sliced thin
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
Drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste

Preparation:
Select your favorite serving bowl, and combine all of the ingredients inside the bowl. Stir carefully but thoroughly to combine. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Serve with salty tortilla chips and, preferably, beer.

Mango, Cucumber, Avocado Salsa
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: n/a
Total Time: 15 minutes

For this recipe, I use ataulfo mangoes because they're readily available right now and don't have the characteristic stringiness or fibrousness that some other mangoes have. Ataulfo mangoes are also called honey, champagne or manilla mangoes -- look for them.

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients:
3 ripe mangos, peeled, pitted, and diced (about 2 1/2 cups)
1/2 small yellow onion, finely chopped
1 jalapeño pepper, minced; ribs and seeds discarded
1/2 of a small cucumber, peeled and diced (about 1/2 cup)
3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:
Choose your favorite medium serving bowl, and combine all of the ingredients inside the bowl. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Serve with salty tortilla chips and, preferably, beer.

Other Easy Spring Entertaining Recipes:

Pea Pods Stuffed with Herbed Cream Cheese - The Kitchn
Smoked Salmon Dip with Bagel Chips - Martha Stewart
Toasted Cumin Hummus - 5 Second Rule
Herbed Ricotta Dip with Vegetables - Leite's Culinaria
Truffled Popcorn - Ina Garten
Market Roasted Carrots - Turntable Kitchen
Baked Artichoke Squares - Shutterbean

National Salsa MonthNational Salsa Month

Spring Entertaining Made Easy: Two Simple Fruit Salsa Recipes