Because some days you are homesick, and it’s worth an hour and a half of hand-chopping to have fresh pico that tastes like proper pico…
Any American will tell you that Europe, while it’s coming along at its own pace, severely lacks quality salsa. Add the need for gluten free to your qualifications, and your chances of finding something satisfying become even more limited. (Full disclosure: the last thing I was glutened by was salsa that was cross-contaminated in manufacturing, even though the company’s website gave the impression it was gluten free and none of the ingredients contained gluten. It was not made in Europe, though, and I have not seen it on the shelves for a few months. Perhaps the new Dutch labeling laws about cross-contamination have eliminated it from the market here.)
Jarred salsa here in the Netherlands tends to be very sweet and while it’ll do in a pinch, it does not taste like home. I like my salsa tangy, with a slight kick. I deeply miss the tubs of fresh salsa and pico de gallo you could grab at any grocery store on the West Coast. My whole family probably ate our weight in salsa every year when we lived in the US. I think it has been the hardest thing to say goodbye to, outside of friends and family.
And so, I turned to making my own.
It took at least a year and a lot more experimenting than I expected, but I have landed on a tried and true recipe for pico de gallo. This recipe depends heavily on the quality of the ingredients, but I have ended up with proportions that will give you an end result that ranges from acceptable to exceptional, depending on the season. Some days it tastes better than others, but it always scratches that itch for a proper pico. I will include a shopping guide below the recipe, if you would like guidance in how to find and choose your ingredients in Dutch grocery stores.
PICO DE GALLO
2 small to medium onions (I recommend red or sweet)
2 jalapeños
2 tablespoons of fresh squeezed lime juice; more to taste
1 teaspoon sea salt, more to taste
900 – 1000 grams of tomatoes (I usually use 2 cartons of Red Intense)
1 pot or package of fresh coriander (cilantro).
- Slice the jalapeños and remove the seeds (unless you want it spicier). Chop to your preferred size and place in a 2.5 liter mixing bowl.
- Peel and chop the onions. Always chop the onions by hand or they will become bitter. Add them to the mixing bowl.
- Add the salt and lime juice to the mixing bowl.
- Stir the peppers, onions, salt, and lime juice together and let them sit while you finish the rest of the prep. This is essential! It basically pickles the peppers and onions, which provides that proper tang.
- Core the tomatoes and cut them in half. Scoop out the seeds with a spoon so that you are left with only the firm parts. (Tip: use two bowls. One for the seeds and cores, the other for the actual tomatoes. This’ll keep the juice off your counter.)
- Chop the tomatoes to your preferred size. (I use a hand-press chopper like this that speeds up this process.)
- Place chopped tomatoes on top of your peppers and onions, but don’t stir yet.
- Wash the coriander and pat it dry. If you are like me and don’t like chewing on stems, pluck the leaves off the stems.
- Chop the coriander finely and add it to your bowl.
- Stir gently until the onions, peppers, and coriander are spread evenly among the tomatoes.
- Taste to test the salt and lime distribution. Add more of either or both, as needed.
- Let the pico rest 2-3 hours in the refrigerator to develop its flavor. Stir gently again before serving.
- It will keep 2-3 days in the fridge, but it is best on the first day.
I usually buy all of the ingredients at Albert Heijn, but most grocery stores will have what you need. (Although I find some stores are more hit or miss for jalapeños and limes.) Since all the ingredients are fresh, they should be safely gluten free, but be sure to check and rinse your produce.
Onions: I recommend either red or sweet. They are usually found by the Potato Shelf.
Jalapeños: You can find loose jalapeños by Albert Heijn’s Potato Shelf, but the little red peppers (rode peper) will suffice if there are no jalapeños. I sometimes have to buy a package of peppers and then mix and match. Try to find peppers that are on the firm side. Look for a rich, medium green. Too light = not flavorful enough; too dark = past their prime.
Limes: I recommend a bag of 3-4 limes, the smaller ones with the thinner skin. You never know how much juice will come out of a lime, but if you can be choosy, look for a warm, rich green color and a slight springiness to the touch. Not squishy and withered; not so firm they don’t have any give.
Salt: Use sea salt (zeezout), not keuken zout. Keuken zout (kitchen salt) has a distinct lack of saltiness that confuses me a lot.
Tomatoes: I usually use two cartons of Red Intense vine tomatoes or the closest equivalent. Romas can be very nice in season, but lack flavor out of season.
Coriander (cilantro): I prefer a pot of organic coriander (koriander), because it is more tender and flavorful. But a pack of coriander from the refrigerated section will suffice.
And now, I am off to eat half a bowl of pico de gallo for dinner. Because I can…
