Pico de Gallo!

In hopes of returning to the nice, spring weather that we had a week or so ago, I’m going to post a nice, springtime recipe that is easy and quick.  That way, you can go out and enjoy the (hopefully) beautiful weather.  Unless you live in New England (oh wait, I do), in which case you’re probably in a state of emergency right now and don’t really want to celebrate the weather.

But maybe this recipe will cheer you up.

I stumbled upon this recipe online last semester when Joe and I were still discovering how to cook gluten-free.  To me (and to him, I’m sure), it seemed like he would never be able to eat anything ever again, but luckily, it’s not that bad.  I found this on GlutenFreeMommy.com, also with her gluten-free guacamole, which I have yet to try.  It’s Pico de Gallo – fresh, simple, easy.  No need for extra adjectives on the title.

*And remember- if this is going to be GF safe, make sure you separate some for the GF chips from the rest.  Because “Hint of Lime” chips are really the way to go if you’re not GF.  Just sayin’.

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What you’ll need:

• 4 cups of tomatoes, diced (how many depends on how big the tomatoes are; I got six plum tomatoes)  
• 1 cup onion, chopped  
• 2 – 3 tbsp jalapeno pepper, diced finely (I just use one whole jalapeno – but I’m a baby when it comes to spicy, again)  
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped  
• 1 lime  
• 3/4 tsp salt (to taste)

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How to make it:

1.  If you haven’t already, dice up your tomatoes and onion.  You don’t want the tomatoes to be chopped to smithereens, but you don’t want them to be huge, either.  Same goes for onion; not too big, not too small.  Throw it all in a big bowl.

2.  Dice the jalapeno very finely (no big bursts of spicy, please and thank you).  Add to bowl.

3.  To chop up the cilantro, tear off a chunk, wash it, and put it on your cutting board.  Roll up the cilantro tightly, like you’re rolling a sleeping bag, and then chop it.  Repeat in the opposite direction.  Throw a half-cup of that into your bowl, too.

4.  Cut the lime in half and squeeze the lime juice from one half into the bowl.  If it looks or tastes a little sparse, add some from the other half.

5.  Stir everything gently to combine and sprinkle in salt.  Stir again.  Check for taste and enjoy!

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Recipe review:

This pico is a great side for a warm, outdoorsy day.  Heck, its a great addition to any day.  The ingredients really mesh together for a fresh, simple dish.  Plus, it's healthier than lots of salsas that you find because it is all made of fresh ingredients.  I highly suggest pairing the pico with lime tortilla chips because it adds an extra "oomph" to the whole recipe.  It does take a little while to dice everything, so for that reason only, I give it... an A minus

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What are your favorite spring and summer dishes?