Heaven on a chip

Pico de gallo, which translates from Spanish as "rooster's beak" is a funny name for a food.  But this fresh salsa has become one of my family's favorite snacks this summer.  I was looking for something easy, inexpensive, healthy, and yummy for them to eat.  I've always enjoyed salsa fresca (fresh salsa) much better than the saucy, tomato based salsa in a jar.  Now, they do too!  

I start with Roma tomatoes.  You don't want the really soft, ripe ones.  Firm is better.  I make big batches, so I use 12, but you can halve that if you want.  Pico de gallo is better when eaten with the first day or two, so just make enough to last that long.  

Dice them up.  I like to cut them fairly small so a little bit of everything can make it onto the chip.

Next is onions and cilantro.  Here's the trick.  The tomatoes, onions, and cilantro should all be in equal proportion to each other.  The tomatoes don't rule this salsa.  

I use yellow onions.  Skin it, and cut it in half.  If you take a knife and make thin cuts all the way along one side, then......

Turn it the other way and make thin cuts this way, it'll just about be perfect.  Less mess, quicker dicing.  

I just give it a quick once over to make sure the onions are diced small enough.  I don't want any big chunks of anything in this salsa.  

See how the onions and tomatoes are pretty equal in quantity?  You want a nice 50/50 blend.  For 12 Roma's, this comes out to about 1 1/2 to 2 good sized onions.  

Next comes cilantro.  You tend to either love cilantro or hate it.  I LOOVVE it!  For this large batch you'll use about 1 1/2 to 2 bunches of cilantro, depending on how big they are.  I just scored some giant bunches at the store last night, so they'll go farther today when I make more.  Make sure you rinse it, as cilantro tends to be very sandy.  Cut off the stems (most of them...  don't worry about a little stem in there) and start chopping.  

Roll and wad it up into as tight of a bunch as you can, then start chopping.  Chop it fairly fine.

One third tomatoes, one third onions, and one third cilantro.  It sounds like a lot I know..   but it's sssooooooo good!

Lime and jalapenos.  They really give this some amazing flavor.

If you can find a really good sized, juicy lime, one is all you need.  Otherwise, maybe 1 1/2. Just mash it around before you cut it to release the juices easier.  Then cut in half and use a fork to squeeze the juice out.  

You have to be careful with these babies.  Wearing gloves is the smartest.  I made so much of this, I ran out of gloves, so I learned to be very, very careful.  Otherwise that jalapeno heat will stay under your fingernails, and then in your eyeballs for far too long.  For this sized batch, 2 smaller peppers is about right.  We like a good bit of heat in our salsa.  You can always do less...   or more.  

The seeds and white veins are what gives the pepper it's heat. It's best to remove the seeds.  I leave a little of the veins in because I want some heat.  If you want the flavor without so much heat, take all the seeds and veins out, and just use one smaller pepper.

Dice these up finely too.  That way the flavor and heat are evenly distributed and there won't be that one mouthful with a big chunk of pepper that clears your sinuses out.  

Ok.  Done.  That's it.  Well, you can add salt to taste, keeping in mind that most tortilla chips are already salty.  No oil.  No vinegar.  Just these few fresh, healthy, inexpensive ingredients.  It'll be heaven on a chip, I promise.  Of course you can use it on omelets, tacos, or just about anything.  We have kept the tortilla chip makers in business this summer!  But at least they were eating vegetables, right?  


Ok, so here's the recipe, family sized:


12 Roma tomatoes
2 large yellow onions
2 bunches of cilantro
1-2 limes
1-2 jalapenos
salt to taste