Mushroom, Jalapeño, and Cilantro Salsa for the "Muy Bueno" Cookbook Spotlight & Cook-Off

It's Cookbook Spotlight time again. This time I am lucky enough to be reviewing Muy Bueno - Three Generations of Authentic Mexican Flavor by Yvette Marquez-Sharpnack, Veronica Gonzalez-Smith, and Evangeline Souza--a blogging trio made up of a mother and two daughters, cooking up Mexican-inspired family recipes. 

This Cookbook Spotlight will be happening over the next 3 weeks. Week One we had a choice of making a unique Mushroom, Jalapeño, and Cilantro Salsa and/or a decadent Capirotada (a Mexican-style bread pudding). Beings as my butt certainly did not need bread pudding, I went with the salsa. I have made plenty of traditional salsas and fruit salsas but never would have thought about a mushroom based one.The recommendation is to use it as a topping for fish or meat or to scoop it up with tortilla chips but I was thinking the meaty mushrooms would pair well with some grilled bread. (OK, maybe that makes it more of bruschetta but it certainly tastes delicious--whatever you call it!)

Mushroom, Jalapeño, and Cilantro Salsa  (Salsa de Hongos y Jalapeños)
From Muy Bueno: Three Generations of Mexican Flavor
(Makes About 3 Cups)

16 ounces fresh white mushrooms, finely diced
Small red onion, finely diced
2 jalapeños, finely diced
Handful of fresh cilantro, diced
3/4 cups fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt to taste

Dice mushrooms, onion, jalapeños, and cilantro. In a bowl combine the diced ingredients above with lime juice and olive oil. Toss gently. Salt to taste.
Let it sit to absorb the flavors. Serve it at room temperature. 

Serve as a topping on fish, chicken, grilled steak, or as an appetizer with a basket of your favorite tortilla chips.

Notes/Results: Simple, fresh and pretty addicting. I love the way the mushrooms change texture as they sit in the lime juice and blend in with the other ingredients. They become softer and less chewy--so if you are not a raw mushroom fan, don't worry--this is completely different. I thought the recipe might have a bit too much onion and jalapeño for me and that it would overpower the earthy mushroom flavor but, it was perfect--a great combination of flavors. I will make this salsa again.

Check back next week for a recipe that I will pick from the book and the following week for the cookbook review and a chance to win a copy of your very own!

 *This post is part of the Muy Bueno Cookbook Spotlight & Cook-Off sponsored by Hippocrene and hosted at girlichef* 

Note: I received a copy of this cookbook from the publisher, however I received no monetary compensation to review it. As always, my thoughts, feedback and experiences cooking from it are entirely my own.