Pico de Gallo, Guacamole, and n-Layer Dip

Just because I don't care about the Super Bowl, especially this year, doesn't mean I can't enjoy Super Bowl food, right? Right.



I took the opportunity that this fine American tradition afforded to make something I've been too intimidated to make before (though in retrospect, I have no idea why): pico de gallo. Maybe it was all the chopping involved that I thought I wasn't up to; I don't know.



But it actually didn't take that long, and the best thing about pico de gallo, other than it being quite delicious on its own, is that it can be easily used in two other delicious items: guacamole, and what I'm calling n-layer dip.



Pico de gallo is a simple combination of tomatoes, onion, jalapenos, cilantro, and lime juice. Take that combination and mix it with some buttery avocado and you've got guacamole. And my friends -- there is absolutely nothing like homemade guacamole.



Or if you're really in Super Bowl mode, make an n-layer dip (n because you can add or subtract as many as you like from the traditional 7-layers).



This one has 10 layers.  Really!  Doesn't really look like there's 10 layers in there, does it? It can be easily cut in half and will be delicious just the same. Just make sure you eat it with sturdy tortilla chips that won't break apart when you're scooping up the dip.



There's no hard and fast rule about the order in which you layer, but some would argue that order matters, that when done properly it makes a significant textural (and aesthetic) difference.  You decide what works best for you.  My preferred order is listed below.

Pico de Gallo

Ingredients

• 5 firm Roma tomatoes, diced
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced
• 1/2-1 cup cilantro, chopped
• 1 tbsp lime juice
• salt, to taste

Method

1. Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl.  Enjoy the same day; pico de gallo doesn't keep very well.

Gucamole

Ingredients

• avocados
• pico de gallo
• lime juice
• salt

Method

1. Mash up your desired quantity of avocados.  Mix in a generous amount of pico de gallo.
2. Add another tbsp of lime juice for every 2 avocados you use.  Add salt to taste.

n-Layer Dip (based on the one photographed above)

Ingredients (ordered from bottom to top)

1. refried beans
2. thin layer of shredded cheese
3. sour cream
4. thinly shredded lettuce
5. sliced black olives
6. chopped cilantro
7. pico de gallo or salsa
8. guacamole
9. shredded cheese
10. thinly sliced scallions

Spinach & Feta Cream Cheese Spread

This is one of those recipes that Jade and I discovered ages ago, when I liked cooking, but it wasn't the passion it is now. Many of the recipes that I used to make from that period involved pre-prepared food (you know, such as mixes, or juice I wouldn't squeeze myself, or "helper"-type things), and when I revisit them from time to time, more often than not I end up tossing the recipes away. Not only because they may involve ingredients that I can't pronounce, but because it just doesn't taste very good. Preparing fresh food has spoiled me (in a good way).



This is not one of those recipes. It might involve some pre-preparedness, but it's not the kind I feel guilty about -- I still know what's going into it. As for flavor, well, that's stood the test of time. This is just as yummy as I remember it being, the feta and garlic lending bite to the cream cheese, the spinach giving it depth and color, and the yogurt to thin and smooth everything out. I actually adapted the recipe from the original to include the yogurt, because I'm actually using this as a veggie dip this time, and without the yogurt it's more of a spread. In fact, even with the yogurt it's still quite thick and can be easily spread on crackers. I think I actually like this version better than the old; next time I'm going to add a handful of pine nuts as well. I think the flavor and crunch of the nuts would complement the other flavors very nicely -- but only if it's going to be served immediately. Otherwise the nuts will get soggy and it won't be such a great addition.

The pre-preparedness comes in the form of frozen chopped spinach (you can use fresh if you like) and crushed garlic from Trader Joe's (you can crush fresh garlic if you like). I used a block of feta and crumbled it myself; to save time you can buy the pre-crumbled kind in a tub. As Jade notes you can mix everything together in a food processor, but this comes together easily with a big bowl and a fork -- just make sure you mix everything thoroughly.

This recipe is also very flexible and should be made according to your own taste; add more feta, less garlic, whatever pleases your taste buds.



Spinach & Feta Cream Cheese Spread

Ingredients

• 8oz cream cheese
• 4oz feta cheese, crumbled
• 10oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained completely of water
• 1 1/2 tsp crushed garlic
• 1/3 cup plain yogurt (optional)
• 2 tbsp pine nuts (optional)

Method

1. Thoroughly mix the cream cheese and feta cheese together, crushing the feta so it melds with the cream cheese.
2. Add the spinach and garlic, combining until there are no big patches of plain cream cheese.
3. If using, add the yogurt to thin out the mixture, again mixing well. Add more yogurt by the tablespoon to achieve desired consistency. Finally, mix in the pine nuts.
4. Serve with crackers and/or fresh-cut veggies. (You can easily prepare this spread ahead of time and set it out at room temperature 30 minutes before serving. If using the pine nuts, however, serve immediately.)