Favorite Salsas and Tacos

This charmer of a cookbook is dedicated to the crowd-pleasing duo of salsa and tacos in all its spicy glory. Starting with a brief tutorial on chiles and other southwestern ingredients, the collection then offers 24 salsas, each a lesson in creativity. Jicama-Watermelon Salsa begs to be paired with fish or shrimp straight from the grill, while earthy Roasted Pepper Rajas work tasty miracles on a chicken sandwich. The author suggests using Bing Cherry-Pistachio Salsa to complement a holiday meal: a fine idea, but why stop there? Atop a scoop of vanilla ice cream, it becomes an unusual and invigorating dessert. The taco selection is brief but well edited; Hot and Smoky Shrimp Tacos are simple but fiery, and Baja-Style Fish Tacos with Chipotle Mayonnaise taste like they just arrived from Cabo San Lucas. Carne Asada is a bigger production: a sirloin steak marinated in garlic and chiles, served alongside various salsas and tortillas. It's more involved than a simple taco, but it's the perfect recipe to show off the complexity and spice of Santa Fe cuisine.