I grew up, like a lot of natives down here, eating Mexican food at home. I don't remember ever going to a Mexican food restaurant until I was in my teens. [Editor's note: a Mexican FOOD restaurant? What else are you going to get in a restaurant?] Even then, it felt odd. Going out to eat was a special deal. Why would you willingly pay for food you ate at home?
Yes, sisters Martha Ann and Annie Pearl might remind me that none of the five menu items that rotated on our family dining table had origins from south of the border. Standard fare at our house was pretty much of Northern European extraction, albeit touched by the twang of The Republic. But they might also recall that our Grandmother Grace was good about treating me -- the only one in the family besides my mom with a taste for out-of-the-ordinary -- to homemade chalupas when I spent the night. My favorite stuff, next to fried oysters. I still need to get me some rhinestone-rimmed cat-eye glasses like Grace wore (it's too late for the jeweled cigarette holder.)
Of course, every corner has a taqueria on it now, never mind the full-scale Mexican restaurants that are plentiful as chips and salsa on the table. (Yellowpages.com has nearly 1600 entries for "mexican restaurant" in this city.) Most of them are named after families, have red and black decor, and boast of the "best margaritas in town".
All caucasian braggadocio aside, THIS is the real National Food of The Republic (not this officially claimed concoction, much as I love it.) Being Swedish-Scotch-Irish, I will never have earned the right to declare my attempts at Mexican cooking as authentic.
That said, I give it a go.
Now, you can just as easily buy jars (or gallon jugs, like we do) of picante sauce and salsa, but pico de gallo requires fresh ingredients. Recently, I was in a hurry and found out that I really like my pico hot from the stove. And in my world, there's nothing that a little pico can't make better.
White Girl Hot Pico de Gallo
one large tomato
, diced
half large onion
one celery stalk
handful of cilantro, chopped fine
teaspoon veg oil
tsp comino
tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp kosher salt
Yes, sisters Martha Ann and Annie Pearl might remind me that none of the five menu items that rotated on our family dining table had origins from south of the border. Standard fare at our house was pretty much of Northern European extraction, albeit touched by the twang of The Republic. But they might also recall that our Grandmother Grace was good about treating me -- the only one in the family besides my mom with a taste for out-of-the-ordinary -- to homemade chalupas when I spent the night. My favorite stuff, next to fried oysters. I still need to get me some rhinestone-rimmed cat-eye glasses like Grace wore (it's too late for the jeweled cigarette holder.)
Of course, every corner has a taqueria on it now, never mind the full-scale Mexican restaurants that are plentiful as chips and salsa on the table. (Yellowpages.com has nearly 1600 entries for "mexican restaurant" in this city.) Most of them are named after families, have red and black decor, and boast of the "best margaritas in town".
All caucasian braggadocio aside, THIS is the real National Food of The Republic (not this officially claimed concoction, much as I love it.) Being Swedish-Scotch-Irish, I will never have earned the right to declare my attempts at Mexican cooking as authentic.
That said, I give it a go.
Now, you can just as easily buy jars (or gallon jugs, like we do) of picante sauce and salsa, but pico de gallo requires fresh ingredients. Recently, I was in a hurry and found out that I really like my pico hot from the stove. And in my world, there's nothing that a little pico can't make better.
White Girl Hot Pico de Gallo
one large tomato
half large onion
one celery stalk
handful of cilantro, chopped fine
teaspoon veg oil
tsp comino
tsp chili powder
Chop onion & celery fine. Combine with 1/4 of the cilantro, plus all of the comino & chili powder. Cook 5 minutes in hot oil in small saucepan. Stir in tomato and rest of cilantro plus 1 tablespoon of water. Cook covered on low and simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring often. Makes 2 servings.
Spoon warm on eggs, beans, meat, wherever you'd use pico de gallo. Or try it on things where you'd never dream of spooning it.
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