Fresh salsa starts with fresh mandarins

As much as I love the flavors of Thanksgiving, by the end of the holiday weekend I'm desperate for different ones -- but not Christmas flavors, not yet.

Fortunately, I have plenty of mandarins in that 10-pound bag I bought from one of our foothill growers. Mandarins aren't great for baking but they do play well in salads and other fresh creations.

Salsa, I decided, was about as far as I could get from mashed potatoes, turkey gravy and sage-scented stuffing. It relies on fresh ingredients at any time of year, including plenty of fresh cilantro.

I used the smallest of the mandarins that were in my bag, and 6 of those produced about 1 cup of chopped pieces, but adjust the number depending on the size fruit you have.

Try this salsa with tortilla chips or over some grilled seafood or chicken. Spice it up some more, with hotter peppers or some red-pepper flakes, if that's to your taste, too.

Mandarin and lime winter salsa

Makes about 1-1/2 cups

Ingredients:

4 to 6 mandarins (Satsumas or clementines),  about 3/4 pound before peeling

1 jalapeño, de-seeded and minced (use 2, or another type of hot pepper, if you like)

1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves and some stems (about 1/3 of a bunch)

1/4 cup finely chopped red onion

Zest and juice of 1 lime

1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Sprinkle of red-pepper flakes, optional

Instructions:

Peel the mandarins, and separate into halves. Pull out the stringy middle and any other loose bits. Using a serrated knife, slice the halves horizontally across the segments and add them to a bowl. The cut segments will come apart on their own or can be easily pulled apart. You should have about 1 cup of segment pieces.

Stir in the minced jalapeño, the chopped cilantro, chopped onion, lime zest and juice.

Add 1/4 teaspoon of the salt. Taste and add more salt as needed. Stir in the sprinkle of red-pepper flakes if using.

The salsa can be served immediately, but I think it tastes better if it is chilled for 1 hour. Stir and taste again to adjust flavors before serving.

This salsa also is best the day it is made, but will keep in the refrigerator for another day or so.