Homemade Pico de Gallo

Ingredients

• 1/2 medium White Onion (– peeled & finely diced (scant 3/4 cup))
• 1 pound firm Roma Tomatoes (– seeded & diced (about 5 tomatoes))
• 2 medium Jalapeno Peppers (– halved, seeded & finely chopped (SEE NOTES))
• 1 large Scallion (– finely chopped (white to dark green tip))
• 1 clove Garlic (– grated, or more to taste)
• 1/3 Cup Cilantro Leaves (– packed; finely chopped (about 1 small bunch))
• 3 TBS Fresh Lime Juice ((about 1 medium lime))
• to taste Sea Salt & Ground Black Pepper
• Optional 1/4 tsp EACH: Ground Cumin & Smoked Paprika
• Optional Pinch Chili Powder

Instructions

1. 1

   Soak Onions: Place the chopped white onion into a small bowl. Pour in enough filtered COLD water to cover the onions. Then, set aside for 15 minutes while you chop the rest of the ingredients.

2. 2

   Start Pico de Gallo: To a medium bowl, add the tomatoes, jalapenos, scallions, garlic, cilantro, and lime juice. Season with ½ tsp sea salt and 1/8 tsp pepper; along with the cumin, paprika and chili powder, if using. Grab a spoon and stir the ingredients well to combine.

3. 3

   Drain and Add Onions: Drain the onion from the cool water and dump them into the bowl with the pico. Fold gently and thoroughly to combine.

4. 4

   Chill Pico Salsa: For the best flavor, cover the bowl of salsa with plastic wrap and transfer the pico de gallo to the refrigerator. Chill for at least 20 minutes, or up to several hours.

5. 5

   Adjust for Taste: Give the homemade pico a taste and adjust as needed; adding more salt for overall flavor, lime juice for acidity, and seasonings for specific flavors.

6. 6

   Serve Homemade Pico de Gallo: Use a slotted spoon to transfer the Pico to a serving bowl, garnish with lime wedges and enjoy as a dip with tortilla chips. Or cover and keep the pico salsa in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.