Pico de Gallo

With tomorrow being Cinco de Mayo, it's time for the entire United States of America to celebrate Mexican history. True, no one in America really knows exactly what we're celebrating on the 5th of May (contrary to popular belief, it is NOT the Mexican equivalent of the 4th of July, the USA's independence day; Mexico celebrates it's independence from Spain on September 15th and 16th). Cinco de Mayo is actually the day a small Mexican army defeated the much-larger and much better-equipped French army in the Battle of Puebla, and is now a celebration of national pride. Look there, recipes and a little history lesson.

So, even if we don't all understand the historical significance, we do all understand that Cinco de Mayo is a day for Mexican food. Thus, here is my recipe for pico de gallo. I like the freshness of this recipe, but without the heat of other salsas. If you're looking for a scorching heat experience, feel free to add jalapeños or other peppers, but this recipe is purely for the fresh taste.

As with all my recipes, the ratios here are very approximate: add more or less of whatever you want. Plus, this recipe makes a very small batch: double or triple as needed.

Pico de Gallo

Ingredients

• 2-3 Roma tomatoes
• 1 medium tomatillo
• 1/3 red onion
• Several sprigs fresh cilantro
• 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
  
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• Salt and pepper to taste

Chop all vegetables to similar-sized pieces (they will process more evenly in a shorter amount of time), and throw them into a food processor with the metal chopping blade. Process with a few short pulses until you reach your desired consistency. Test a little to make sure you got your balance of lime, salt, and garlic right and adjust as necessary. Serve as a topping for tacos, salads, or anything else.