Salsa Pico di Gallo and Guacamole
Salsa is the Spanish word for sauce. Salsas are treated as a relish that is served alongside tortilla chips as a dip or as a condiment to a main meal.
They consist of chopped vegetables and or fruits with salt, lime or chili. They add colour to dishes and they may be served crudo (raw) or cooked and can be mild or spicy. There are a handful of salsas that have gained global fame which include guacamole, salsa pico di gallo and salsa verde, but the Mexicans have innumerable delicious recipes.
These salsas are so easy to make and always make a lovely last minute snack. They are always on my table in buckets when I have friends over and the bowls are always wiped clean.
I have had many requests to share my recipes for these salsas with all of you. I am sure they will receive the thumbs up.
SALSA PICO DI GALLO
Servings: 1
Ingredients:
4 tomatoes, deseeded, chopped small
1 green onion, chopped fine
1 handful cilantro, chopped fine
1 teaspoon jalapeno chili pepper, diced
Salt to taste
Method:
Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl and season to taste. For a mild heat add less of the Jalapeno.
Serve with corn tortilla chips or in tacos, salads, pulled beef, chili beans, chili con carne or salmon.
Per Serving : 150 Calories; 2g Fat (9.6% calories from fat); 6g Protein; 33g Carbohydrate; 8g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 51mg Sodium.
GUACAMOLE
Servings: 1
Ingredients:
2 hass avocados, soft and ripe
1 lime, juiced
1/2 cup pico di gallo salsa
Salt to taste
1/2 clove garlic, minced.
Method:
Cut the avocado in half, discard the seed and scoop the flesh with a spoon and place in a bowl.
Mash with the back of a fork or a potato masher until mostly smooth leaving some small chunks.
Add the lime juice, garlic, salt to taste and the garlic then mix well and store in the fridge.
Serve with corn tortilla chips, in salads, tacos, with chili beans, sandwiches etc.
Tips:
To keep the guacamole from turning brown cover the surface of the guacamole with plastic wrap to create an airtight layer.
Try to make a sweet mango, chili and black bean salsa by chopping the mango finely adding the beans, chili, lime, salt and some pico di gallo.
Per Serving: 716 Calories; 62g Fat (69.4% calories from fat); 9g Protein; 52g Carbohydrate; 11g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 43mg Sodium.
How to choose Avocados?
1. Choose an avocado with darker skin as it may be an indication of ripeness.
2. Hold the avocado in the palm of the hand and apply slight pressure with the index finger and thumb if it yields that means it is ready. If it yields too much it is mostly over ripened.
3. In the event you can’t find a ripe avocado place the firm avocados in a fruit basket on your kitchen counter and they will start to ripen in a day or two.