Wow, has this ever been a slow culinary week around our house. I really can’t come up with anything very bloggable at all. One night was a quasi-interesting tomato and fresh mozzarella pizza with a crust that we could have used to drywall the unfinished basement. Another was a lack luster whole wheat spaghetti concoction which produced only a single comment of “leaves a funny taste in your mouth!” Another evening we found take out and dried out sushi on the table. It’s been sad folks.
So, just as our local news channels do during a slow news week, I’ve come up with a whimsical piece as filler until some breaking news comes along.
Once our Colorado produce starts coming in, it seems like my mind-set automatically shifts towards Mexican food. Fresh and simple with lively colors and exciting flavors. I just don’t think there’s anything that showcases our state better, especially when the chile roasters get fired up. The aroma is intoxicating.
Pico de Gallo …yup, even a monkey could make this one and that’s exactly what this monkey did. Twice this week, I’ve chopped up fresh Early Girl tomatoes from my garden, diced some sweet onions and jalapenos and sat on the couch with my Costco 55-gallon drum of organic corn chips and enjoyed some delicious fresh fare.
Here’s my pico recipe, nothing earth shattering, but you pico purists will notice I use sweet yellow onion as opposed to red onion. Let’s take a look.
My Pico de Gallo
Perfect Pico.
- 2 tomatoes diced
- 1/2 Cup sweet onion diced
- 1 jalapeno seeded and deveined, diced
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- Juice of 1 lime
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
- 1 Hatch green chile roasted and skin removed, chopped
- 1 pinch dried Mexican oregano or about a teaspoon of chopped fresh oregano
- Salt and pepper and a smidge of sugar
- In a large bowl mix all ingredients together. Taste and adjust any ingredients and flavors.
Pico de Gallo and a 55-gallon drum of Costco Corn Chips…It’s What’s for a Summer snacks
Russ says
August 9, 2011 at 6:23 amI know I’m in the minority, but I just don’t like cilantro. It’s always tasted “weedy” to me. Everything else about this looks top-notch!
High Plains Drifters says
August 9, 2011 at 6:27 amSlow week … slow summer here! Kinda over everything except for making salsa and grilling. M. looked at me the other day and sighed, “Is it chili season yet? I just want a bowl of chili.”
What’s the word on the Hatch crop this year? Wondering, with all of those fires, if they got enough rain.
Cheers!
Karen says
August 9, 2011 at 6:57 amI think everyone loves salsa…isn’t it the new catsup?
Michele says
August 9, 2011 at 7:09 amCan’t believe you have tomatoes already – this is the slowest summer for mine and I’ve only had a handful of cherry tomatoes and exactly one so called Early Girl – jealous!
Lea Ann says
August 10, 2011 at 6:24 amI don’t know what’s up Michele. I thought for sure it would be much later than this for mine. I have 6 more Early Girls that I’ll pick today.
Rufus' Food and Spirits Guide says
August 9, 2011 at 8:15 amLove the picture. And you can’t go wrong with pico. I love your recipe.
Lea Ann says
August 10, 2011 at 6:22 amThanks! 🙂
JelliDonut says
August 9, 2011 at 8:56 amI’m with you about the Colorado produce–can’t wait to freeze some roasted chilies!
Lea Ann says
August 10, 2011 at 6:16 amI’ve still got a bag in the freezer, I’m trying to use them up before those roasters fire up.
Dave says
August 9, 2011 at 9:26 amGreat looking pico! That’s almost exactly the way I make it, except I sometimes chop up a little avocado too.
Lea Ann says
August 10, 2011 at 6:15 amI’m liking that avocado addition, Dave.
Vianney Rodriguez (@sweetlifebake) says
August 9, 2011 at 10:50 am“a crust you could have used to drywall,” I think I have made that recipe before, lol
pico ge gallo rocks..period!!
have a great week!
Karen says
August 9, 2011 at 10:59 amLooks good – you’re going to need a lot of it for all those chips 😉
Lea Ann says
August 28, 2011 at 9:18 amVery funny Karen. 🙂
Karen Harris says
August 9, 2011 at 3:30 pmYum! This looks so good and homegrown tomatoes only make it better. My Early Girl has given us just a trickle of tomatoes and now there’s nothing, but from the looks of it about 20 of them will ripen at once. Feast or famine! I’ll have to use your salsa recipe when they do ripen.
Velva says
August 9, 2011 at 8:06 pmThis pico de gallo is part of the summer scenery. It is proof that summer has arrived, Beautiful. The 55-gallon drum of Costco tortilla chips made me smile. So true.
I am having a slow week at my house too (sigh). I need my food groove.
Velva
Barbara | Creative Culinary says
August 9, 2011 at 9:18 pmI went to an English to Spanish translation site hoping I could find your real name; your Spanish name Hola, Lea Ann is simply Lea Ann. You remind me of my friend Rachael, lafujimama.com. She is a true So California looking girl who has a love of all things Japanese and the only thing surprising on her site is when she goes a different direction!
I love that I can count on you for wonderful Mexican inspired dishes and with tomatoes coming in full on, nothing much beats the freshness of something like this pico de gallo.
Vickie says
August 9, 2011 at 9:38 pmLOL – I could love a 55 gallon drum of corn chips and a bowl of pico de gallo – and yours looks delicious! I’ve never added roasted chile pepper, but yum! You know what else I’d add don’t you? 😉 That shot of your sauce is very good – all my favorite colors!
P.S. I’m laughing about the ho-hums in the kitchen – I find myself eating a lot of bread and olive oil or popcorn and wine.
Sam @ My Carolina Kitchen says
August 10, 2011 at 4:19 amThey’ll be days like this my mama said – it happens in our kitchen too Lea Ann. Mexican is the perfect solution for putting a little sparkle into your week. This is the second Hatch pepper I’ve seen this week. I don’t think I know what they are. Maybe I’ll have to sneak over to Larry’s garden and “teeve” one. He’s closer than you are.
Sam
Lea Ann says
August 10, 2011 at 6:33 amI agree Sam, but there were too many “days like this”. 🙂 Hatch chiles are just mild chile peppers that claim to have a unique and delicious flavor due to the location they’re grown.
Larry says
August 10, 2011 at 9:03 amLooks good from here LA. We love pico and Bev’s never taste exactly the same way twice. As far as blogging, just do what I do and post something whether or not you have sometnig worthwhile 🙂
Lea Ann says
August 11, 2011 at 6:52 amI agree, mine never tastes the same. And I might have blogged about the pizza…took pictures. It’s just been so busy around here.
Chris says
August 13, 2011 at 10:07 pmThe monkey’s from Rise of the Planet of the Apes find your comment “even a monkey” offensive. We have your name on record and the minute we get out of this lab, we are coming for you.
And don’t think you can sway us at the last minute with a bananas foster with rum sauced ice cream either….well, okay, maybe just this once.
Lea Ann says
August 15, 2011 at 3:45 pmLOL Chris! This reminded me of that commercial. 🙂
Platanos, Mangoes and Me! says
August 14, 2011 at 6:26 amFunny post. I have those days too..a vision of a wonderful meal which does not happen. Pico de Gallo is good at all times….
Lea Ann says
August 15, 2011 at 3:43 pmI hear ya! I’ve got to get back into the swing. Just back from vacation, so the lull will continue. 🙂
Zia Liz says
August 14, 2011 at 4:53 pmYou’ve inspired me! I can’t do the tomatoes, but I made some salsa verde instead. Somehow it helps with the heat we’re getting right now.
Lea Ann says
August 15, 2011 at 3:39 pmThat’s too bad about not being able to eat tomatoes, but love salsa verde too!
Cathy at Wives with Knives says
August 16, 2011 at 6:37 amThis is one of my favorite ways to use the abundant produce that’s now filling the farmers’ market. I could put a bowl of this on the table every night and everybody would be happy.
Lea Ann says
August 17, 2011 at 6:17 amI agree, either that or chimichuri sauce. 🙂
freshandfoodie says
August 16, 2011 at 8:45 amPico de gallo is one of my favorite condiments. I’ve been known to eat it just with a spoon, but don’t tell anyone. 🙂
Lea Ann says
August 17, 2011 at 6:14 amLOL, I can see why. It’s just so spoonably good.
cheffresco says
August 16, 2011 at 11:12 amPico is the best. Great recipe! I like your colorful background too =)
Chilebrown says
August 16, 2011 at 12:38 pmIt tastes even better when the majority of the ingredients are grown in your own backyard. We even have a lime tree. Ms. Goofy wanted a couple of limes for margeritas, she now has limes for the whole neighborhood.
Lea Ann says
August 17, 2011 at 6:09 amI’m wishing I was your neighbor. I’d love to have access to fresh off the tree limes.
Sara @ Saucy Dipper says
August 17, 2011 at 5:09 pmBeautiful picture, Lea Ann. I’d say this is a very bloggable recipe…but you know how I feel about dippable foods 🙂