Cherry mango cucumber salsa with basil

A classic salsa leans on tomatoes and peppers, and this version builds its brightness a different way, with fruit, cucumber, and a big handful of basil standing in. The result is its own dish rather than a stand-in for something else, and a bowl of this kind of color on the table is worth having often.

Cherries and mango are a source of vitamin C and the deep-colored antioxidants that come with ripe fruit, the cucumber keeps everything light and cooling, and the olive oil rounds it out. It is food that tastes like summer and asks almost nothing of the stove.

There is something honest about a side this simple: ripe fruit, fresh herbs, good oil, a little salt. Let the ingredients be exactly what they are, and let this be the salsa on your table whenever the mood calls for something bright.

Ingredients

• 3 cups seeded, chopped English cucumber (about 1 large)
• 1 3/4 cups chopped mango (about 1 large)
• 3 cups pitted, chopped cherries (about 1 lb)
• 1 cup roughly chopped fresh basil
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

A reader swap: zucchini and celery work in place of the cucumber.

Method

Combine the cucumber, mango, cherries, basil, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, and sea salt in a large bowl and mix well.

Chill, then serve alongside grilled meat with a leafy salad.

This one is best fresh and holds only about 24 hours refrigerated, so make it the day you plan to eat it.

*Adapted from a-squirrel-in-the-kitchen*

*Lower-sugar note: this is cherries cooked down, so the sugar is the fruit itself. Use a smaller spoonful, or stir in water to soften the sweetness in each serving.*