Pico De Gallo (Peeko-Day-Guy-o)

Pico de gallo is so simple, it's awesome.  In my house growing up, it was meant to compliment, not overpower the meal you were eating.  Some might call it a salsa but it's chunky not saucy.   It's great with just about anything but we just break out the chips and dig in.

Step 1: Ingredients

- 2 medium sized tomatoes
- 1 large clove or 2 small cloves of garlic
- cilantro
- 2 jalapenos
- 1 lemon
- 1/4 onion
- cumin
- salt

Step 2: Jalapenos, Roasted Please!

Take your two lovely large jalapeños and turn your burner on medium high.  I have a flat top electric stove so I just put the chiles right on the burner.  If you don't have a flat stove, you can easily roast them under the broiler (keep a close eye!!) or in a dry skillet. 

Roast them until the skin is blackened and the chiles are still a little firm to the touch.  The popping and dancing the jalapeños do while roasting is normal, enjoy the show.  

Step 3: Chop, Dice, Mince

While your jalapeños are cooling down, chop your tomatoes into cute cubes, add to a bowl.

Mince your garlic.

Next, chop your cilantro.  I like to bunch it up and try to roll it.  Then I take my knife and run it through, over and over so we don't get huge cilantro leaves.

Cut a 1/4 off of your onion.  Cut the rings in half and kind of stack them on top of each other.  Cut into a fine mince.  We're going for teeny pieces of onion.  You can make them as big or small as you like, I just prefer a mince.

Now that your jalapeños have cooled down, rub the skin off gently with your thumb.  Not all of it has to come off, just whatever will rub away.  I made this for a friend so I de-veined and de-seeded the jalapeño, it's completely optional.  Cut the jalapeño into strips, stack on top of each other, and run your knife through.  

Step 4: Lemon & Spices

Cut your lemon in half and squeeze its juices into your bowl.  I like to use my hand as a strainer, it's one less dish to wash.  

Shake and taste.  I never really measure how much spice I use in a lot of the cooking I do.  Shake some cumin and salt into the bowl, give it a good stir and taste.  Start with a little and add accordingly.  

Eat this with everything....well not everything.  

Happy Eating!!

Comments

[djara003]

Costa Rican dish?

[zurichko]

Nope, Mexican. Although I'm sure it's popular in other Latin American countries or they have a type of fresh salsa.

[sunshiine]

Love this stuff thanks for sharing!

[laceration]

You are right it is simple. The way I do it is even simpler, just tomatoes, onion, cilantro, jalapenos and lime juice. Lime juice is more traditional. Its alright to used canned jalapenos because, you don't use a large quantity of them and the canned taste doesn't come through. The pickling of the peppers really brings out their sweetness too.

This stuff is a great point of departure. Add corn kernels or diced mango. Add avocado and you've got guacamole. Diced cucumber, diced cucumber and some diced up fish and you've got cerviche. Let the fish marinate or "cook" in the lime juice for about 4 hours.

[zurichko]

Yes, I also like the versatility of this base recipe. I really like tostadas de ceviche, or coctel de camaron in a tall glass and this is a good jumping off point.