Strawberry Pico de Gallo

A sweet and spicy salsa to enliven your summer table.

For the printable recipe click here.

Monster 2 is adorably (and occasionally annoyingly) passionate when he gets an idea in his head. For the last year or so he has been obsessed with brainstorming different types of robots to invent someday. This prevailing passion is overshadowed only when an idea for his future restaurant, Desserty Cheese, pops up.

Strawberry pico de gallo was one such pop-up. The idea came to him when we bought a strawberry plant for our garden. He waited so eagerly for those strawberries to appear and was as upset as I’ve ever seen him when his sister took the first one that ripened.

“Those are for my Strawberry Pico de Gallo!” he cried. Stifling a laugh, I convinced him that this one plant in our garden was unlikely to produce enough strawberries to satisfy the insects, let alone his culinary adventures, and I promised to add fresh strawberries to our shopping list.

His concept was to replace the tomatoes in traditional pico de gallo with strawberries, so that’s what we did: fresh strawberries, finely chopped white onion, and garden-fresh jalapenos--unlike the strawberries in our garden, our pepper plants are pretty prolific!

Armed with a strawberry huller and an egg slicer, he made quick work of the strawberries while I attacked the onions and jalapenos. A sprinkle of salt and pepper and a good stir, and this pico was ready for action. We served it atop fresh baby spinach, chili-spiced tilapia, and avocados for a light and easy dinner.

The strawberry pico keeps well for a few days in the fridge. If you like a little extra acid, you could add a splash of lemon or squeeze of lime. I have tried adding lime essential oil to this recipe, but, surprisingly, it was much better without it. You could substitute shallots for the white onion if desired. Go as light or heavy on the jalapenos as your family can handle. Discard the seeds and membranes for a milder experience.

I should add that this recipe is being posted with permission from Monster 2. He is extremely excited to share and has been asking every day if I have posted it yet. Perhaps you’ll see this strawberry pico de gallo on the menu at Desserty Cheese someday. Judging by the name, the restaurant won’t be a paleo establishment, but with Monster 2 and his robots running the show, I bet it’ll be worth the splurge!

Here's what you'll need:

• 1 lb fresh strawberries

• 1/2 cup finely chopped white onion

• 1-3 jalapenos, diced, seeds and (white membranes removed if desired)

• Salt, pepper, lemon juice, if desired

Here's what you'll do:

1. Wash, remove the hulls, and quarter the strawberries.

2. In a medium-sized bowl, stir together the strawberries, onion, and jalapenos. Season lightly if desired.

For the printable recipe click here.