Peach and Jalapeño Salsa

Yield: 8 servings (makes 2 cups)

1/2 medium white onion

3 ripe, baseball-size peaches, cut in half and pitted (1½ pounds total)

2 plump jalapeño peppers, cut in half from top to bottom, ribs and seeds removed

1 teaspoon ancho chile powder

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, plus lime wedges for serving

1/2 teaspoon coriander seed, crushed

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, or more as needed

1 teaspoon minced cilantro leaves, for garnish

Procedure:

Position an oven rack about 6 inches from the broiler element; preheat the broiler. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.

Arrange the onion half, peaches and jalapeños, cut sides up, on the baking sheet. Sprinkle them with the ancho chile powder. Broil for 10 to 12 minutes, turning the sheet as needed, until all the pieces’ edges are blistered and blackened.

Transfer the mixture to a cutting board. Discard the peach halves’ skins, which should slip off easily.

For a smooth hot sauce, coarsely chop the broiled onion, jalapeños and peaches, then combine in a blender. Puree until fairly smooth, then stop to add the honey, lime juice, coriander seed and salt; puree until smooth. Taste, and add more salt, as needed.

To make a chunky salsa, combine the onion, jalapeños and peaches in a food processor; pulse just long enough to reduce the mixture to smaller, discrete pieces. (Alternatively, you can chop the ingredients by hand.) Transfer to a bowl; stir in the honey, lime juice, coriander seed and salt. Taste, and add more salt, as needed.

Garnish the smooth hot sauce or chunky salsa with the cilantro and serve right away, with lime wedges.

Nutrition: Per 1/4 cup serving of salsa: 30 calories, 0 g protein, 7 g carbohydrates, 0 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 70 mg sodium, 0 g dietary fiber, 6 g sugar{&7}

Nutrition: Per 1 tablespoon serving of sauce: 5 calories, 0 g protein, 2 g carbohydrates, 0 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 20 mg sodium, 0 g dietary fiber, 1 g sugar

Make ahead: The salsa can be refrigerated for up to 1 day; its flavor and color grow dull when kept longer. This is not a candidate for freezing or canning, because of its variable pH.

From columnist and cookbook author Cathy Barrow.