Nothing tantalizes the taste buds quite like freshly grown produce. The warm temperatures during July, August, and September make it the perfect climate for fruits and vegetables to grow. This time of year the produce is significantly more fresh, which makes cooking with it even better. If you’re looking for a simple, yet delicious treat to make with your garden-fresh food, then pico de gallo is the perfect dish.
Pico de gallo is a type of salsa that can be used with many ingredients. It is made of uncooked, coarsely chopped ingredients, and unlike salsa, it contains very little liquid. Due to its thick consistency, it can be used to fill other Mexican dishes such as tacos and fajitas, or just eaten with tortilla chips. Below are a few recipes to learn how to make pico de gallo with different ingredients.
Traditional Pico de Gallo
This recipe from Emeril Lagasse from the Food Network is a simple recipe to give you the traditional flavors of pico de gallo.
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups seeded, diced tomatoes
1/4 cup diced red onion
1 tablespoon diced jalapenos
1 tablespoon minced garlic
Juice of 2 limes
2 tablespoons cilantro, plus extra for garnish
Salt and pepper
Directions
In a bowl combine all ingredients.
Watermelon Pico de Gallo
There is nothing more refreshing than juicy watermelon in the summer. This pico de gallo recipe from The Pioneer Woman calls for using watermelon as the main ingredient.
Ingredients
1/2 whole Small Seedless Watermelon, Diced
1/2 whole Red Onion, Diced
1 whole Red Bell Pepper, Seeded And Diced
1 whole Green Bell Pepper, Seeded And Finely Diced
1 whole Yellow Bell Pepper, Seeded And Finely Diced
2 whole Jalapeños, Seeded And Finely Diced
1 whole Bunch Cilantro, Chopped
2 whole Juice Of 1 To 2 Limes
1/2 teaspoon Salt
Mango Pico de Gallo
This is a tropical twist to the traditional pico de gallo recipe. This recipe from Our Best Bites just switches the tomatoes with mangos to create a delicious snack that goes well as a garnish on salads, chicken, steak or fish tacos.
Ingredients
1 c. small cubes of mango (about 1 medium to large mango)
1/2-1 large jalapeno pepper (1/2 without seeds in a nice, mild-medium heat; go from there)
1/4 c. chopped cilantro
1/4 of a medium red onion, finely chopped
Juice of 1 lime
2 cloves garlic, minced
Kosher or sea salt to taste
Once you have the ingredients to any of these recipes, they are so simple to make! Just add the ingredients together, mix it up, and serve. Whether you get it from the grocery store, your locals farmer’s market, or your own garden in the yard, the fresh produce you’ll use will make this your signature summer dish.
If you’re not ready to create your own Mexican treat, then come visit us at Casa Blanca Mexican Restaurant. We serve many authentic Mexican dishes (including pico de gallo) that will delight you’re taste buds at our locations in Andover, North Andover, and North Billerica, Massachusetts.