Make Your Own Pico de Gallo
Pico de Gallo * is a popular Tex-Mex condiment-garnish-cum-dietary-staple here in the Texas Hill Country. We put it on everything but ice cream. (Actually, at Austin's yearly Spamarama, we might put it on ice cream!) Depending on serving size, it's as close to calorie-free as you can get and still be eating something substantial.
* Beak of the rooster
| Ingredients | Unit | Cal/Unit | #Units | Calories |
| Roma Tomatoes (diced) | Each | 30.00 | 4.00 | 120.00 |
| White Onion (roughly chopped) | Each | 20.00 | 0.50 | 10.00 |
| Cilantro (chopped) | Tbl. | 0.00 | 2.00 | 0.00 |
| Jalapeños (minced) ** | Tbl. | 1.60 | 3.00 | 4.80 |
| Lime Juice | Tbl. | 3.50 | 1.00 | 3.50 |
| Total Calories | 138.30 | |||
| #Serving | 8.00 | |||
| Calories per 1/4-cup serving | 17.29 |
** Vary this amount according to how hot you like your pico.
- Cut and discard stem end of tomatoes, and dice. Seed them if you want, or leave the seeds in for a juicier pico. (I like to use Romas because they are firmer and a little less seedy than other types – and, as an added bonus, usually cheaper.)
- Cut and discard stem end of jalapeños, and mince. Remove some or all of the seeds (depending on the level of heat you want). Exercise proper care when working with chilis. (Click here for some sage advice on this subject.)
- Add chopped onion, cilantro, lime juice, salt and/or pepper to taste – and stir.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to use. (Stays relatively fresh for 3-4 days; can be used in soups after that, up to about a week or so. When the onion starts to degrade, you'll smell it.)
Serving suggestion: How can you serve Pico de Gallo? Let me count the ways:
- Serve it with tacos and fajitas
- Add it to scrambled eggs, broken chips and cheese for quick, home-made migas
- Stir it into prepared potato salad for “potato de gallo”
- Mix it with salad greens for a spicy dinner salad
- Spoon it into cold tomato juice for instant gazpacho
- Use it to spice up soups . . . and so on, and on, and on.
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Filed under //
50 Calories or Less
Condiment
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