I adapted the recipe for pico de gallo by cooking down the onions. This is by no means traditional, but it was the only way Dave would eat this fresh salsa.
Head straight on to the Recipe For ♥ Pico De Gallo ♥
What is Pico De Gallo?
Pico de gallo is a fresh tomato salsa common in Mexican cuisine. You may hear it referred to as salsa fresca (fresh sauce), salsa bandera (flag sauce), or salsa cruda (raw sauce). This traditional sauce is made from freshly chopped tomatoes, raw onions, serrano chillies and coriander. It is seasoned with salt and lime juice. As Dave and I do not eat raw onions, my version has them cooked until soft. You will use pico de gallo to top tacos and fajitas. And I made this as it is an ingredient in the cous cous salad I made when testing recipes from Mexico in Mzansi.
Mexico in Mzansi
The recipe for pico de gallo in this recipe book makes 3 to 4 cups, which I did not think was necessary. I decided to reduce the tomatoes only, just to make less. I had a lot left over, so served it with the tacos I made for the same meal. Aiden adds the tip that you can always add, but never take away. This refers to the salt and chilli factors of the recipe. I usually don’t like my food too spicy, but the two jalapeños I used were not that hot. As a variation you can grill an ear of corn on the cob and when charred, cut the kernels off. Add these to the rest of the ingredients for a nice smoky flavour.
What is in a name?
I refer to coriander, which some of you might know as cilantro. We call the fresh herb coriander, and use the same term for the ground up seeds. This could get very confusing, which would make the term cilantro easier to use when referring to the fresh herb. Regardless of what you call it, coriander is a herb that divides people. I find that coriander has a tart taste, reminiscent of lime. However, people with a specific genetic predisposition find that coriander tastes rotten, or soapy. This pungent taste might be off putting so if you are one of those people who cannot abide the taste, I would suggest using flat leaf parsley instead.
Take a look at this inspiring recipe for ♥ Pico De Gallo ♥ from Lavender and Lime #LavenderAndLime Share on X
Click on the links for conversions and notes.
Pico De Gallo
Ingredients
- 10 mls olive oil
- 1 red onion, peeled, cut in half and finely chopped
- 4 roma tomatoes, quarted, desseded and diced
- 2 jalapeño chillies, cut in half, deseeded and finely chopped
- 20 g fresh coriander, chopped
- 20 mls canola oil
- 2 limes, juice only
- 0.625 mls fine salt
Method
- Heat the oil in a non stick frying pan, add the onions and sauté until soft
- Place the onions into a bowl, together with the tomatoes and chillies
- Stir to combine then add the coriander, oil, lime juice and salt
- Mix to combine, taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary *
- Place ito into the fridge for at least 10 minutes for the flavours to develop
Notes
See the links below for blog posts I published on October 22:
- 2023: The Bookbinder Of Jericho
- 2021: Dried Lemons
- 2018: Kumquat Jam
- 2017: A Stranger In The House
- 2016: Safari Sunscreen | Out And About
- 2015: Flat Bread
- 2014: Tomate Et Chocolat, Nevers
- 2013: Lemongrass Custard Pots
- 2012: Chocolate Stout Cake
- 2011: Cream And Nam Pla (Fish Sauce) | Ingredient Challenge
- 2010: Food Quiz Number 38 For A Friday
Looks spicy
It was not too spicy, but I think my chillies were quite mild 🙂
Well at least my husband eats fresh onions and loves cilantro!
That is good to know Mimi 🙂
I also prefer cooked onions or at least soaked with lemon juice first before using…the salsa looks great!
I must try soaking some in lemon juice 🙂
Pico De Gallo is very popular in Florida. In Florida we have two tomato growing seasons (Late Spring, Early Fall) and we are typically awashed in fresh tomatoes. The idea of cooking down the onions is clever. I know lots of people who have trouble with raw onions.
Thanks for the inspiration.
My pleasure Velva 🙂
This looks so fresh and tasty Tandy, thankfully I am a coriander fan.
Hopefully you give this a go Pauline 🙂
I am so glad i like fresh coriander 🌿 and happily i love onions 🧅 And I really enjoy eating red onions raw. I mean sliced up and diced up in salads and so on.
Sherry
Then this is perfect for you!
Thanks for the recipe Tandy. I have been making a dip (on repeat) using store bought pico de Gallo. But now I will start from scratch.
Hope it makes a difference 🙂
I’m actually not a huge fan of raw onions, so this version is right up my alley, too – great adaptation!
thank you so much 🙂
Hi Tandy, I also don’t eat raw onion. I like this recipe.
Hope you try this 🙂
Cooking the onions was a great idea. I’ll bet Dave is not the only one who doesn’t like them raw. It looks so pretty.
I am finding more and more people who do not eat raw onions 🙂