Week 9 - Pico de Gallo

I am a Texas girl. I love any form of Mexican or Tex-Mex cuisine, and I firmly believe they are two completely different subsets of food.

Occasionally you will find a magic recipe that over laps into both. Generally the "pure form" is an old recipe passed down by a sweet abuelita and then the Texans start playing with it. This week we showcase one of those recipes. Pico de Gallo (or just Pico, everyone down here knows what you mean) is one of those delicious things that Texans have made our own. It's also ridiculously easy to make.

You'll Need:
2 large Tomatoes (I generally prefer heirloom tomatoes, I like the taste and texture better.)
1 Jalepeño pepper seeds and ribs removed. (I only remove half the seeds, it gives the Pico a spicier kick.)
1 small red onion

Dice everything up and toss it in a bowl. Done!

Make basic Pico once the way it is intended. It's better to have a base understanding of the flavors before playing around with it. That being said here are a few of my favorite add ins:

1 Tbsp Lime Juice
1/2 ripe mango
4-5 large strawberries
A palmful of minced cilantro
1/4c roasted corn
Substitute Jalepeños for another type of chile

I generally only add in one or two extras, but experimenting is very fun. Once you have a full bowl grab some corn chips and dig in. (Or spoon it over some oven baked tilapia, talk about delicious!)

Happy eating!
Tori