"Pico de Gallo people! What more needs to be said? Can’t have a taco without it, right? Well… Sure you can but hey, for the sake of theatrics, we’ll just say you can’t. What are we doing here? YES! Pico de Gallo. Vibrant, tangy, zesty, delicious and it’s so easy to make. The beauty is in the details-- that’s where you’ll dazzle your guests. So let’s learn how to turn something as iconic as a Mexican chopped salsa into the most beautiful garnish."
Perfect Pico de Gallo
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- Recipe Card
Prep time: 10mins
Serves or Makes: 4
Recipe Card
ingredients
- 1 whole Tomato
- 1/2 deseeded Jalapeno
- 1/4 cups chiffonade Cilantro
- 1/2 Sweet Onion
- 1 juice Lime
- 1/2 tbsp Red Wine Vinegar
- pinch of Flaky Salt
Method
Step 1
In order to brunoise the tomato perfectly, you’ll need just the outer layer. Turn the tomato onto its side and slice off the top and bottom. You should be left with what we’ll refer to as the wheel. Now create a vertical slit into the wheel, slicing through and down, moving along the inner ribs of the tomato-- essentially unraveling it. Pull out the chunk of core and carefully go back over the ribs by flattening the outer layer and slicing along horizontally. Make sure there is no more pulp or ribs left. Just skin and about a centimeter of inner meat. Divide this in half so that you have two short, wide pieces. Now slice off matchsticks and then dice to brunoise. Sick. You’re a pro now.
Step 2
Slice the onion in half and remove the top, bottom and about half of the center layers. Now slice the onion the same thickness as the tomato all the way across and carefully dice to brunoise.
Step 3
Slice two cheeks off the jalapeno and carefully remove any ribs by flattening the cheek and slicing along its innards horizontally. Once again-- matchstick and brunoise. Seeing a pattern?
Step 4
Roll the lime around a hard surface to help mangle inner pulp, slice in half and squeeze onto the diced masterpiece you’re creating. Beautiful.
Step 5
Take a small handful of the cilantro, stems are okay too-- there’s plenty of flavor in the stems. Don’t be a dick and waste them. Tighten it into a ball, as tight as humanly possible, and chiffonade the fucker. Never go over herbs more than twice-- if there’s any green color on your cutting board after you’re done dealing with them, you’ve lost over 75% of the flavor.
Step 6
Start thinking of red wine vinegar as a necessary seasoning when tomatoes are involved in anything. Just a dab of it on your pico de gallo with a little salt and pepper and guess what? You did it.
Step 7
Fold the mix and chill. I like to stick mine in the freezer for a good thirty minutes before serving. It’s best when it’s ice cold. Cerveza is too. Cheers!