Pickled Cherry Pico de Gallo

If you made last week’s cherries, I hope you reserved some. As promised, I am sharing this Mexican recipe as another way for you to enjoy your quick pickled treats. Beyond tapas and charcuterie boards, give your meal a delicious twist by adding a pickled flavor to your pico. Whether you prefer carnitas or a vegetarian taco, this topping works incredible well with traditional Mexican flavors.

Also known as salsa fresca, pico de gallo is a combination of chopped tomatoes, onions, peppers, and seasoning that can be layered on tacos or enjoyed with tortilla chips. As the word fresca suggests, it is a salsa made from the freshest ingredients left uncooked. When your counter (or garden) is overflowing with ripe summer tomatoes, make the most of their flavor with recipes that call for them raw.

The tangy quality of pickled cherries highlights the sweetness of fresh tomatoes, and I love the contrast between them. It also plays well with the acidic quality of crema and sour cream, and the best tacos are topped with at least one of these. If a proper Mexi-feast is one of the simple pleasures that can turn your day around also, join me in adding a new version of pico de gallo to your Mexican staples.

Ingredients

2 large tomatoes
1 small onion
10 pickled cherries
1 jalapeño
2 tablespoons lime juice
Salt

Traditional pico de gallo is seasoned with cilantro, the leaves of the coriander plant. This recipe does not include cilantro, but the brine for the pickled cherries is seasoned with coriander seed. It is interesting to note that the two ingredients have very distinct flavors despite being part of the same plant. Coriander seed is warmer, earthier, and devoid of the distinct love it or hate it qualities of cilantro.

Begin by quartering the tomatoes and scooping out the seeds. Next chop the tomatoes, onion, and pickled cherries, and place in a bowl. Seed and mince the jalapeño then add it to the mix. Add the lime juice and toss the ingredients together. Season to taste with salt.

Let sit about 10 minutes at room temperature before serving.