Nopal Pico de Gallo

Nopal Pico de Gallo, Photo by Marie Oaks.

This is a fantastic raw salsa (salsa cruda) to serve with beans and rice, tacos, or on top of grilled fish:

Ingredients

  • 2 small prickly-pear (nopal) pads, chopped into 1 cm cubes (1/2 inch cubes)
  • 1 ripe Roma tomato (or any nice red tomato), chopped into 1 cm cubes.
  • 1⁄2 red onion, diced – 1⁄2
  • 1 jalapeño pepper, seeds removed and diced. Add less if you don’t want a spicy salsa.
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 handful of fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
  • Juice and zest of 1 lime
  • Dash of salt
  • 1 T of extra-virgin olive oil
  • Fresh corn, removed from the cob and quickly blanched (optional)
  • 1⁄2 cup cooked black beans (optional)
  • 1 small avocado, in 1 cm cubes (optional)

Directions

Combine all ingredients. This salsa cruda is best if made a few hours before serving so the flavors can develop. Refrigerated it will last a few days, but if you add an avocado you’ll want to eat it before the avocado oxidizes and turns brown.