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Papaya and Red Onion Salsa

The best substitute for papaya here, believe it or not, is watermelon. Cantaloupe isn’t bad either. Serve this with any grilled meat, poultry, or fish.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    makes about 2 cups

Ingredients

2 cups papaya in 1/2-inch chunks
1/2 cup minced red onion
1/2 cup minced red, yellow, or green bell pepper or a combination
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
Salt and black pepper to taste
1 jalapeño or other fresh chile, stemmed, seeded, and minced, or hot red pepper flakes to taste
1/4 cup or more chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Combine all the ingredients. Let sit for about 5 minutes, then taste and adjust the seasoning.

    Step 2

    Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to a couple of hours. (Bring back to room temperature before serving.)

The Best Recipes in the World by Mark Bittman. © 2005 by Mark Bittman. Published by Broadway Books. All Rights Reserved. MARK BITTMAN is the author of the blockbuster The Best Recipes in the World (Broadway, 2005) and the classic bestseller How to Cook Everything, which has sold more than one million copies. He is also the coauthor, with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, of Simple to Spectacular and Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef. Mr. Bittman is a prolific writer, makes frequent appearances on radio and television, and is the host of The Best Recipes in the World, a 13-part series on public television. He lives in New York and Connecticut.
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