Re: [CH] Pico de Gallo
Stephen Tanner (SBahrd@a-o.com)
Fri, 30 Jan 1998 11:33:34 -0400
Rich McCormack wrote:
>
> I acquired an English language Mexican cookbook in the early 1970s
> that included a description and recipe for Pico de Gallo that is
> nothing like the salsa type recipes for Pico de Gallo found today.
> It consisted of orange wedges and pieces of papaya arranged on a
> platter with either bowls or shakers of a ground chile and spice mix
> on the side to dip the fruit into or to shake on the fruit like salt
> and pepper...definetly nothing like a salsa. That's what I consider
> to be Pico de Gallo and that's how I've always presented it on my
> table and as a recipe in my web pages...despite current trends.
I agree with Rich. Real Mexican "Pico de Gallo" is a very simple recipe
using ground dried chiles as a condiment with various fruits. One of the
simplest is found in "The Complete Book of Mexican Cooking" by Elizabeth
Lambert Ortiz, copyright 1965 by The Conde Nast Publications Inc. It
goes as follows:
Pico de Gallo (roosters beak)
6 navel oranges, peeled, sectioned, and chopped
1 medium sized jicama*, peeled and chopped
Salt
Cayenne Pepper
Mix the jicama and oranges together, and season with salt and cayenne to
taste.
* Very tart cooking apples may be substituted for the jicama, although
the results may be less than perfect, since jicama has a unique flavor
that is not easily duplicated.
I tried this recipe, substituting Jim Campbell's apple smoked habinero
powder for cayenne and it tasted great. (Usual disclaimers apply) ;{)
--
Steve Tanner
Da Firecracker Chilly Page
http://home.sprynet.com/sprynet/sbahrd/chindex.htm