Fresh and Spicy Plum Cucumber Salsa

Apparently, I like fruit in my salsa; but it wasn't always this way.  I remember the day my mom first made mango salsa.  I was deep into my teen "I know so much more than you super idiotic grown-ups" phase, so I turned my nose up at it immediately.

Confession: It was really, really good.  (Mother, please forgive my teenaged angst and tell me how you made that salsa!)  Nowadays, fruit is one of my favorite thing to put in salsa.  The sweet-spicy combo just can't be beat.  A while back I blogged a recipe for Peach Jalapeño Salsa; it was fresh, aromatic, crisp, juicy, and refreshing.

This next one is even more so.

I'm not very experienced when it comes to plums, though I'm not sure why.  There really is no reason for it.  They've got a great combination of both sweetness and tartness, as well as a subtle citrus flavor.  In this salsa, the light earthiness of the plums is complimented by the hot kick of jalapeño and zest of fresh ginger.  Crisp cucumber rounds out the flavor profile, and Thai basil, more peppery than traditional Italian sweet basil, adds a subtle layer of heat.

I found this recipe on Pinterest (my favorite place to get recipe ideas these days) and had to try it, with a few tweaks (you can thank my deep aversion to cilantro for that).  This version is a winner, as I am sure its predecessor is (that is, if cilantro doesn't taste like soap to you).

Now that Labor Day has passed, it's time to break out the Fall wardrobe.  So put on your plum shirt, plum leggings, plum boots, plum jeans, or whatever else you have in the delightfully deep purple category, and get to making this salsa while plums are still ripe for the picking.

Fresh and Spicy Plum Cucumber Salsa
(Adapted from Martha Stewart)

• 5 ripe red plums, pitted and chopped into ¼-inch pieces
• 1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and chopped into ¼-inch pieces
• 1 Tbsp chopped Thai basil (or Italian basil)
• 1 Tbsp lime juice, plus more if necessary
• 2 small cloves garlic, minced
• ¼ to ½ tsp fresh ginger, grated with a Microplane
• 1 large jalapeño pepper, half the seeds removed
• Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl.  Season further with lime juice, salt, and pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate for one hour before serving, to allow the flavors to develop.  Serve with a hearty chip, like whole wheat pita chips.

Note: If this sits for a while, the juice from the plums colors the rest of the ingredients; if you're going for aesthetics, serve it sooner than later.  (FYI, I took these pictures the day after preparing the salsa, so you can see how quickly it gets pink.  I have to admit, though, the flavors developed very well overnight.)