Fresh Tomato Salsa/Pico de Gallo—Good Eats at the TEOTWAWKI Café

I don’t think I’m an ogre in the kitchen—if a family member wants to snack on the fresh produce I’ve been slaving over, s/he is more than welcome.  Fruits and veggies are always best fresh.  (But you know, you don’t have to take the perfectly uniformly sliced pineapple or bananas that are being prepped for the freeze dryer.  You can take the stuff that I haven’t worked on.)

Salsa is much better fresh also.

So I set some aside from each batch that I prepare for canning in late summer and fall to be consumed whenever the family wants.  Last year I canned plenty of salsa to see us through until this year’s tomatoes and peppers start maturing.  At least I hope I did.  Though the 50°F temperatures and high winds I’m experiencing here as I write this on June 3 makes me wonder whether summer has been canceled this year. 

Something new I learned today as I was researching is that traditional pico de gallo has all the veggies diced into a uniform size so that the resulting salsa is more chunky than watery.  Salsa prepared in a blender is thinner and smoother.  Regardless of which method you choose, let the salsa chill for a few hours or even overnight.  (But you know, you don’t want to.  There’s always the risk that someone will steal into the fridge when you aren’t looking and suck it all down.) 

Fresh Tomato Salsa/Pico de Gallo

4-6 medium tomatoes

1 medium onion

½ cup chopped green bell pepper

2 tablespoons lime juice

4 teaspoons minced fresh jalapeño pepper (including seeds)

2 cloves garlic, minced

½ teaspoon ground cumin

Pinch dried oregano, or to taste

¼ cup minced fresh cilantro, optional

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

¼ teaspoon salt, or to taste

For salsa:

Roughly chop the tomatoes, onion, and bell pepper.  Place all of the remaining ingredients (including cilantro, if desired), except the salt and pepper, in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade. Pulse only a few times, just until the salsa reaches your desired consistency. Place the salsa in a serving bowl and add salt and pepper to taste. 

For pico de gallo:

In a medium bowl, stir tomatoes (about 3 cups, diced), onion (about 1 cup, diced), green bell pepper (½ cup, diced), and the remaining ingredients (including cilantro, if desired) except salt and pepper, together in a bowl until just combined. Serve immediately.

Notes:  If the salsa/pico de gallo is too spicy, add some tomatoes.  If it is not spicy enough, add some diced jalapeño or jalapeño seeds.  If it is too watery, use a fine mesh strainer to remove some of the water.  Refrigerate for up to 5 days.

Family reviews:  OK, I know cilantro is supposed to be in most salsas.  My family just doesn’t like it, so I don’t use it.  Fresh salsa/pico de gallo is great.  It just gets eaten.

Links to related posts:

Wonderful Salsa