Pico de Gallo

December 3, 2010

Pico de Gallo - kvalifood.com

Pico de gallo is a raw Mexican salsa of chopped tomatoes, onion, chile, cilantro, and lime. Nothing is cooked, nothing is blended. The quality depends on the ripeness of the tomatoes and the balance of the seasoning.

Serve it with tortilla chips, tacos, grilled meats, fish, or eggs. It is also a standard topping for tostadas and a side for fajitas.

Makes ca. 2 cups (4 servings)

Ingredients

3 medium ripe tomatoes (ca. 390 g), cored
1/2 medium white onion (ca. 50 g)
1-2 serrano chiles (ca. 14-28 g), stemmed
6 g loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves and upper stems
1 lime, juiced (ca. 30 ml)
1/2 tsp salt, to taste

Directions

Chop the tomatoes into roughly 1/4-inch pieces. Transfer to a bowl.
Finely chop the onion. Rinse briefly under cold running water, shake dry, and add.
Halve the serranos lengthwise. Remove seeds and veins for milder heat. Mince finely and add.
Chop the cilantro and add.
Add lime juice and salt. Stir together.
Adjust seasoning. Let rest 15-30 minutes before serving.

Notes

Use the ripest tomatoes available. Roma tomatoes work when standard tomatoes lack flavor.
Rinsing the onion removes harsh sulfur compounds.
Start with 1 serrano and taste before adding more.
Best consumed the same day.