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FRESH SALSA

MAKES ABOUT 2 CUPS

TIME: 20 MINUTES

THIS RECIPE IS BASIC—make it a few times and you’ll find ways to vary it to perfectly suit your tastes.

12 plum tomatoes

1 large white onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon chile powder, or to taste

Salt

1 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped

1. Broil the tomatoes as close to the heat source as you can get them, until blistered and a little blackened, 5 to 10 minutes.

2. Put them in a blender, skins and all, with the onion, garlic, chile powder, and a big pinch of salt. Whir until chunky, then stir in the cilantro by hand. This is best used right away but will retain decent flavor, refrigerated, for a day or two.

PICO DE GALLO

MAKES 2 CUPS

TIME: AT LEAST 1 HOUR, LARGELY UNATTENDED

THIS IS WHAT most Americans are talking about when they say salsa. You can make it hot or not, as you like; it’s a good use for less-than-perfect tomatoes and an excellent sauce-side dish accompaniment for anything grilled, particularly seafood.

4 medium tomatoes

½ cup chopped scallion

1 garlic clove, minced

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Minced fresh chiles or hot red pepper flakes (optional)

½ cup chopped fresh cilantro

1. Core the tomatoes (cut a cone-shaped wedge out of the stem end) and chop them. Toss them with the scallion, garlic, lime juice, salt, pepper, and chiles if you like. Set aside until you’re ready to eat, or for about an hour.

2. Toss in the cilantro and serve.

PAN-GRILLED TOMATO SALSA

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

TIME: 20 MINUTES

THIS RELISH IS good with a bit of minced jalapeño or habanero chile if you like hot food. If you have them on hand, don’t hesitate to add up to a quarter cup of fresh herbs, like basil, oregano, or marjoram.

3 large, meaty tomatoes, cored and cut into thick slices

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons sherry vinegar or balsamic vinegar

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Heat a large skillet, preferably cast iron or nonstick, over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, raise the heat to high, and cook until lightly charred on one side, 3 to 5 minutes. Turn and cook the other side very lightly, about 1 minute. If necessary, work in batches to avoid crowding the tomatoes.

2. Combine the olive oil and vinegar in a large, shallow dish and, as the tomatoes are done, turn them in the mixture. Season and serve as a side dish or as a sauce for grilled or roasted fish or chicken. (This can be refrigerated for up to a day or two; bring to room temperature before serving.)

CHIPOTLE-PEACH SALSA

MAKES ABOUT 4 CUPS

TIME: 1 HOUR

“CHILES IN ADOBO” are chipotles (wood-smoked jalapeños) in tomato sauce, sold in cans. They’re available at any market with a good selection of Mexican foods. If you can’t find one, substitute hot chile powder or even cayenne. This is lovely with any grilled meat.

4 cups pitted peaches in ¼-inch dice

1 cup red bell pepper in ¼-inch dice

2 chiles in adobo, pureed

¼ cup fresh lime juice

½ cup minced fresh cilantro

2 tablespoons sugar

Combine all the ingredients and let them marry for up to 1 hour before serving.

PARSLEY-VINEGAR SAUCE

MAKES ABOUT 1 CUP

TIME: 10 MINUTES

WHEN YOU GET past using parsley as a garnish and sprinkle a handful on top of a dish just before serving, you begin to appreciate the bright, clean flavor of this common herb. And when you realize that it remains in season far longer than basil, rosemary, or other popular herbs, you get a further sense of its value. You can also blend parsley with vinegar to make a sharp, spiky sauce that is an ideal accompaniment to the simplest grilled, broiled, or roasted meat—great on well-browned steaks, pork, or chicken, or on Salmon Burgers.

1 cup packed fresh parsley leaves (about 1 ounce)

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 small garlic clove, peeled

Salt and freshly ground black pepper ⅓ cup rice vinegar, sherry vinegar, or other