Summer is coming and that means more grilling by Mr. Darcy and lighter fare than we have been eating this winter. It also means very tasty, (and they make the plate so beautiful) homemade condiments to go with our meals.Living here in the Southwest, we eat alot of pico de gallo, guacamole and salsas here at Brighton Park. Now, I could write literally 50 posts on different salsas that Mr. Darcy and I eat and enjoy...but for today, I will share with you my simple Pico de Gallo and my simple guacamole recipes. I encourage you to make them and watch how fast they disappear!
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| Simple Pico De Gallo |
The great thing about pico de gallo is you can't really mess it up. So if you "don't cook", this is for you. Your three main ingredients are cilantro, diced (seeded) tomatoes, and onions (you can use red or white, though red is traditional). I use one cup of each. (You can see I used red onion in the top picture and a white in the bottom. My family didn't complain the night it was a white onion used, and being flexible saved me a trip to the grocer!)
If my onion is strong, I will decrease my onion by 1/3 to 2/3 cup. Next add 2 tsp lime juice, one teaspoon celtic or kosher salt (less if your chips are salty; you might want to taste test with a chip prior to adding salt and then decide if any more at all is needed!) , and 1 tablespoon minced garlic. I add one small jalepeno. (If you want it hotter use the pith and seeds; if you want it milder discard the pith and seeds.)Stir and done. It is better if the flavors sit and get a chance to meld together. It will last about 3 days in the refridgerator, but at my house it is always gone by day's end.
GUACAMOLE: My favorite way to make guacamole is the easiest way and a recipe I learned from "The Barefoot Contessa", Ina Garten, and tweaked it ever so slightly...
Take 6 avocados. pit and cut in big chucks and set in a bowl.
drizzle with 2 teaspoons of lemon juice. (this is important: it keeps the avocados from turning brown)
sprinkle with 1 1/2 tsp of kosher or celtic salt.
mash with a fork until a thick chunky consistency.
Perfect as a side dish or condiment. Absolutely perfect with tortilla chips.
Easy.
You will find these on our table usually a couple times a week here at Brighton Park when the weather is warm. Neither of them ever last very long and I find myself making them over and over. This year, I will be using my own cilantro for the pico de gallo from my herb garden I started last year. Do you have a different version? Share them with us in the comments!
This post is hooked up with the Friday Potluck over at www.ekatskitchen.com ; one of my favorite cooking blogs. Head over there for more great recipes from others!
Blessings,
Yum! Beautiful food photography! I've never tried Pico De Gallo, but it looks delicious!
ReplyDeleteIt all looks so delicious especially the grilled steaks. We don't grill very much here, it's always too cold!
ReplyDeleteLindsay
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Marissa, once you try it you will love it. It is so good with so many different meats, on staples such as tacos and other mexican fair, on salads and just as a side...not to mention as a snack with chips and it is healthy! Thanks for stopping by!
ReplyDeleteLindsey, you can do steaks like that without grilling outside by browning them on high heat in an electric skillet and then slow cooking them with a marinade. It gives the same look and similiar taste/texture as if they were grilled outside!
ReplyDeleteMy n=mouth is watering. I love a fresh chopped salsa on top of grilled meat.
ReplyDeleteYUM! I love pico and guac! Your guac is so simple it sounds fantastic! Thanks so much for linking these treats up to Friday Potluck.
ReplyDeleteeverything looks so fresh and delish! New follower from the hop =]
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