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Healthy Cooking: If you can imagine it, it can go into salsa

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Salsa is the ultimately adaptable condiment. This Roasted Eggplant Salsa, with Asian flavor, can be used as a dip or a topping on salmon or chicken.

By Jim Romanoff

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Published: July 29, 2009

There is more to salsa than just tomatoes, chilies and onions.

Though tomato salsa has given ketchup a run as top condiment, there's no end to the combinations of vegetables, fruits and chilies that can make a great salsa.

Salsas can be cooked or uncooked, used as a topping, side dish or dip, and are a delicious, low-fat way to add nutrients and fiber to your diet.

Combine rinsed, canned black, pinto and kidney beans with chopped red onion, chopped jalapeno, corn kernels, fresh lime juice and a dusting of chili powder to make a zesty three-bean salsa.

For a tropical fresh salsa, start with diced avocado and add diced mango, red onion, cilantro and chileand toss with equal parts rice vinegar and lime juice. Serve with chips or with grilled fish or chicken.

Diced strawberries and nectarines make a refreshing fruit salsa when tossed with balsamic vinegar. Serve over vanilla frozen yogurt. To make a savory variation, add a few tablespoons of finely chopped shallot or red onion.

Grill yellow squash, zucchini, red bell pepper and slices of sweet onion until just tender. Chop the vegetables and toss with fresh thyme and a balsamic vinaigrette to make a grilled summer vegetable salsa.

This roasted eggplant salsa is spiked with fresh ginger, jalapeno, soy sauce and sesame oil for a decidedly Asian flavor. Serve as a dip with rice crackers or toasted pita chips or use as a topping for grilled salmon or chicken.

The eggplant also can be skewered and grilled.

Roasted Eggplant Salsa

1 large eggplant (about 1 pound), ends trimmed, cut into 1-inch cubes

¼ cup rice vinegar

2 tablespoons sesame oil

4 teaspoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

1 tablespoon sugar

1 large red bell pepper, cored and diced

1 small red onion, diced

1 jalpeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped

Salt and ground black pepper, to taste

1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.

2. Arrange eggplant cubes on the baking sheet and roast, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes, or until lightly browned and completely tender. Cool slightly.

3. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine vinegar, sesame oil, soy sauce, ginger and sugar. Stir to dissolve the sugar. Add red pepper, onion, jalapeno and roasted eggplant. Toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper.

Makes 6 servings.

Nutrition information for one serving (values are rounded to the nearest whole number): 78 calories; 42 calories from fat; 5 g fat (1 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 0 mg cholesterol; 9 g carbohydrate; 2 g protein; 3 g fiber; 539 mg sodium.