Pico de Gallo You Could Drink Through A Straw... (But I wouldn't advise it.)

Sometimes, one little tweak in technique or process using the same set of ingredients makes a noticeable difference in the result. This is culinary jackpot for someone (not saying who) driven by an almost unnatural, and perhaps even unhealthy, preoccupation with efficiency. 

Juicy, tangy, fresh tomatoes on your salad are one flavor experience quite different from the mellowed, sweet, almost caramelized flavor of the roasted or stewed ones on your pasta. The marinade that's grilled with your steak or pork chop is a totally other, yet complementary, thing to the salad dressing made using it as a base and drizzled atop some fresh spring greens and veg... 

And pico de gallo - with the separate bits of savory onion, hot jalapeno, zesty tomato and fragrant cilantro, all steeped in the refreshing juice of fresh lime - transforms into a luscious, piquant salsa suitable for dressing, dipping or marinating, when blended and emulsified with a little bit of oil.

While this blended version is not necessarily superior to the chunky stuff (it's certainly not as pretty, and there are definitely instances in which the chunky works better for me - atop grilled fish and meats especially), I've found that one advantage to blending/emulsification is that the stuff keeps its flavor and integrity longer than pico de gallo, which sweats a lot of liquid within a few hours of making, throwing off the flavor balance and altering the texture of the individual components in a way I don't enjoy as much. 

It's like a hot and spicy frappucino almost...

This stuff will keep in the fridge, original flavor intact, for a good 4 to 5 days. And since it can be made with canned tomatoes, it's a good perennial recipe to have on hand.

BLENDED PICO DE GALLO
Makes about 1.5 cups

• 1 cup finely chopped tomato seeded, pulp removed OR 1 cup canned, crushed tomatoes
• 15 to 20 whole stems of cilantro, cut or hand-torn into 1 inch segments
• 1 small clove garlic, rough chopped
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano (optional for me - some days I'm feelin' it, others not so much)
• 1/2 cup chopped onions
• 1 jalapeno, rough chopped
• 1 Tablespoon fresh lime juice to start
• 1+1/2 Tablespoons neutral flavored oil
• 1/4 teaspoon table salt + a pinch OR 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar

Lo siento for leaving you out of la foto, Cebolla...

Throw it all in a blender, pulsing a few times at first to pull the ingredients into the blade, then blending for a minute or two until it's nice and smooth, no chunks left. 

You may want to add a little salt at this point if your produce is specially juicy (or if you just like things saltier). Maybe a pinch more sugar if the tomatoes and lime gave it a little too much tang for your liking. Or perhaps another squeeze of lime juice if your tomatoes are a little flat. If you do adjust the seasoning, don't forget to give it another quick (15 to 20 seconds) whirl to ensure all the seasonings are evenly distributed.

Still holding up the next day... I know.
Kinda looks like poo on a spoon.

Obviously great for tortilla chips, tacos, burritos (like we made this weekend). 

We polished off the last of it with some carrot sticks while watching one of those *TRIPPY* Miyazaki flicks with the monsters. (What kind of salsa is that dude smokin'???)

Que te disfrutes,

shinae