Roosevelt Culinary Arts

Pico de Gallo / Chimol / Fresh Tomato Salsa

There are fresh tomato salsa variations all over the world. The one we prepared in class draws on the traditions and ingredients of Mexico, where it’s known as pico de gallo (beak of the rooster), and Central America, where they call it chimol.

From the beginning, each group in the class tailored their salsa to their tastes. Some students used little or no onion. Some used cilantro and lime more liberally, and each group adjusted the spice level for their palettes.

It’s useful to think of how the ingredients will incorporate into the salsa. What kind of a party do you want each tortilla chip to be able to scoop up in a bite? Each group adjusted their salsa after it was all mixed together, adding more lime juice, pepper, salt, or cilantro.

There were several important lessons in this recipe. We learned about knife technique and standard sizes for dice cuts, as well as how to think about the canvas of flavor that a dish will create. We also practiced tasting as we go and adjusting until the food tastes balanced and to our palette preference. Thanks for joining us on our journey in the kitchen, and happy cooking and learning!

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