I have been making homemade salsa forever - everyone has their own recipe - I have several, but this one is the easiest one to make. Just the basics:

6 medium vine ripened tomatoes, blanched to remove skins, roughly chopped
1/2 vidalia or red onion, coarsely chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, roasted and finely minced with seeds
3 cloves garlic, roasted and minced
1/3 C fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp. lime juice
1 tbsp. red wine vinegar
pinch of coarse salt
pinch of cracked pepper

In a food processor or a blender, combine all ingredients and "pulse" or lightly blend. Chill overnight and serve with tortilla chips.

Barcelona Paella de Cataluña (Barcelona Paella from Catalonia)

1 medium red onion, diced
3 large garlic cloves, roasted
1 red bell pepper, roasted
4 tomatoes, blanched, skin removed, diced
1.5 C green peas
1/4 C olive oil
3/4 C dry Spanish Chardonnay
1 lb. sea scallops
1.5 lbs. shrimp, shelled
1 lb. calamari, cleaned and sliced into "rings"
3 medium chorizo sausages, cubed
1tbsp lime juice
1 phial saffron filaments, infused into 1/2 C hot chicken broth
2 C water
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
sea salt and cracked course pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 325°F. Bring white wine and butter to a boil. Add cleaned shelled shrimp, scallops and calamari. Cover and steam until shrimp, scallops and calamari lose pink color. Remove shrimp, scallops and calamari from broth; reserve. In a fry pan, heat olive oil. Brown chorizo sausage cubes until golden brown; reserve. Add garlic and red onion and saute until semi-translucent, then add rice. Pour in chicken broth, bring to boil. Let rice cook for 25 minutes or until tender (not "soupy"). Mix in infused saffron, roasted red pepper and tomatoes, peas, lime juice, salt and pepper. Mix in reserved shrimp, scallops and calamari. Bake for 15 minutes. Garnish with lime wedges and parsley.

Key to making fresh pesto is having a bountiful amount of fresh basil in the garden, and some fresh jalapeno peppers.
4 cups fresh basil leaves
1.5 cup fresh Italian parsley/cilantro
1 cup Romano or Pecorino cheese, grated
1 cup pine nuts, toasted
4 garlic cloves, roasted and roughly chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 small jalapeno pepper, roasted and minced
1 cup olive oil
3 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons water

Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender. Puree until the mixture forms a smooth, thick paste. Chill to keep fresh. Best served in a pasta dish, spread on a pizza with fresh mozzarella cheese, or as a dip, or as a spread for bruchetta.