This is basically Pioneer Woman’s recipe.  Blessed be her name.  How can I properly express my deep appreciation?  Honestly, this is a life changing recipe.

For years I felt like a pico de gallo failure.  I had stopped trying.  Why waste perfectly good tortillia chips?  Bland tomatoes were not working for me.  I gave up and bought the jar stuff – but I was not happy.  Then one day I bought Pioneer Woman’s cookbook – The Pioneer Woman Cooks, and my life was forever changed.   Ree Drummond told of her trials and tribulations in her effort to make pico de gallo.  She had had the same problem.  She understood how I felt.  Maybe there was hope.  Ree mentioned that she met Ana Oh “who makes the most wickedly delicious Mexican food I’ve ever had, not the least of which is absolutely perfect pico de gallo”.  Sounded like a winner to me.

The secret to great pico de gallo is the balance of the ingredients.  Pico de gallo is not just about a boat load of tomatoes with a little onion, cilantro, and jalapeños.  The onions, cilantro, and jalapeños must have equal billing with the tomatoes.  This is so easy.  Here is the secret – use equal portions of onions, tomatoes, and cilantro.  That is it.  Make as little or as much pico de gallo as you want.  Just keep the proportions equal.

Begin by finely dicing the onion.  I used purple onions because I think they are pretty, but yellow onions will also work.

Dice an equal portion of Roma tomatoes.  It is good if the tomatoes are a little firm.  You want the dice to be pretty fine – fits on the chips better.

For the cilantro, discard the big stems and dice the same amount of cilantro.

Next dice the jalapeños.  Be careful when you work with jalapeños.  It is best to wear gloves because fingers have been known to feel as if they are on fire, or heaven forbid you touch your eye with the least bit of jalapeño.  If you scrape the seeds and membranes from the insides of the jalapeños (use a spoon), there will be less heat.   You decide how hot you want your pico de gallo.

Dice the jalapeños.  You do not need an equal amount of jalapeños, but do add to your own taste.

Throw the four ingredients into a bowl and stir until combined.

Add fresh lime juice and sprinkle with salt.  Stir until combined.  Taste using a tortillia chip – that way you can better tell if the saltiness is correct.  Add more salt, jalapeños, or lime juice if needed.

The pico de gallo will not keep very long – maybe 24 hours – so make it the day you plan to enjoy it.

Also the pico de gallo is wonderful in many other dishes – quesadillas, tacos, atop grilled chicken, in pinto beans….

Now this is the unbelievable part.

Guacamole:

Add the pico de gallo to chuncky mashed avocados, and you have guacamole.  You will need to add more salt and lime juice.  So easy and so yummy!

We served the guacamole in the avocado shells at the Well.  I got this idea from Minetta.  At a wedding shower in Tyler, there was a chef making fresh guacamole – a guacamole bar if you wish.  He would cut the avocado, remove the creamy flesh, mash the avocado with seasonings, and put it back in the shell.  Minetta was impressed.  She told me, and I could not wait to serve guacamole in the avocado shells.  It makes for a good presentation.  Using prepared pico de gallo with the mashed avocados is so easy.

Mango Salsa:

Sweet Mother of Pearl!  This is Ever-Lovin’s absolute favorite – mango salsa.  Every time I make this he declares it “primo stuff.” – His highest compliment.  Mango salsa is beyond delicious, and all you have to do is dice the mangos and add pico de gallo.  Enjoy!

Blessings to you and yours,

Pico de Gallo Ingredient List:

Roma tomatoes (best if they are a little firm)

Onions – red or  yellow

Cilantro

Jalapeños

Limes for juicing

Salt