Funky Bejeweled Kiwi, Mango & Kumquat Salsa

I love salsa. The heat of it. The variety. The fun ways you can use it. You can put so many things in a salsa.  I had some tomatoes that were begging me to make them into salsa, but I wanted to do something a little different this time …

I’ve heard of mango salsa, but I’ve never seen or tried kiwi in a salsa. Or pomegranate seeds. I threw those in just for fun … I don’t know that the pomegranate seeds added a lot to the flavor or even the look because the background of the salsa is already red … but they are so pretty. Like little jewels. Why not have jewels in your salsa?

So I put the kiwis and the pomegranate in and still it needed something. There were three mangoes sitting there in my fruit bowl, so I decided to toss one of them in the salsa too. And then I thought: this needs something … so I added some of the flavors of a jerk seasoning. There! That is it. That is exactly what my funky fruity salsa needed. Honestly I think I might add some more jalapeno now because I am craving something so hot it almost hurts but really, this version is quite awesome just like it is. Add more jalapeno if you want it to hurt. Use less if you like a milder salsa.

Funky Bejeweled Kiwi, Mango, and Kumquat Salsa

• 1 medium sized onion
• 2 cups canned tomatoes (or 1 15-oz. can)
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1/4 cup finely chopped jalapeno (adjust this amount to more or less, depending on how hot you like your salsa)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon allspice
• 1/8 teaspoon cloves
• about 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
• 2 kumquats (my kumquats were about 2 inches long, but I have seen some that are MUCH smaller … if you have smaller kumquats, use more!) … one goes into the blender, chop the other one into little chunks.
• 2 kiwis, peeled & chopped into small pieces
• 1 mango, peeled & chopped into small pieces
• 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds

Directions:

1. In a blender or food processor, blend the tomatoes, onion, garlic, jalapeno, 1 of the kumquats and the salt and other spices.
2. You can pour the salsa into a bowl or just stir in the rest of the ingredients right in the blender. Don’t blend it up, though, because it will ruin those beautiful hunks of fruit!

I tried the salsa with baked vegie and corn tortilla chips, but it would also be lovely with nachos, burritos, or over fish or chicken or pork or … well, salsa is just such a fun thing to have around. Especially a funky salsa like this.

This recipe was shared at Totally Tasty Tuesdays, Tasty Tuesdays,  Talent Show Tuesdays, Cast Party Wednesdays, Newlyweds Recipe Linky, Tastetastic Thursday, Katherine Martinelli’s Mango Bloghop and Full Plate Thursday.