09 Salsa v. Picante sauce v. Pico de Gallo

What Is the Difference Between Salsa & Picante Sauce?
By Maxine Wallace
http://www.ehow.com/facts_5770035_difference-between-salsa-picante-sauce_.html
(edited here by P.)

Salsa vs. Picante Sauce

Salsa simply means sauce in Spanish. While the two terms are commonly used interchangeably in English, they are not synonymous, because picante sauce is a specific type of salsa.

Recipes for salsa vary considerably and include such differences as using tomatillos or tomatoes, fresh or dried chiles, and raw or cooked preparations.

Salsa is made by balancing sweet, tart, salty and spicy flavors together to create a standalone dip, topping sauce, table sauce or cooking medium. Most salsas are made using just a few ingredients such as tomatoes, onions, chiles, and garlic. Salsas can be green or red, thick and chunky, or thin and watery, depending on their intended use.


Picante sauce, on the other hand, has one distinguishing characteristic that sets its apart -- its intense heat.

Picante sauces are characterized as being thin, red sauces that have intense heat. While a picante sauce is a type of salsa, all salsas are not picante sauce.

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More explanations from Sheetal Mandora
At http://www.buzzle.com/articles/difference-between-salsa-picante-sauce-and-pico-de-gallo.html

What is Salsa?

In most English-speaking countries, the variety of sauces available in the supermarkets are presumptuously called salsa. So, what does it actually mean? In Spanish, salsa basically means 'sauce'. It is a condiment made with red tomatoes or tomatillos in two forms―raw or cooked―and is served as either a dip or accompanied with a dish. So, in a broader sense, the different types of sauces, thin, chunky, smooth, spicy, mild, green, black, etc., all fall under the category of salsa. There is no single recipe or ingredient that can claim itself as salsa; it's a generic term.

What is Picante Sauce?

In Spanish, the word 'picante' means 'spicy'. If you pay attention to the Mexican food aisle, where they have all the different types of salsa available, you will find some picante sauce labeled as 'salsa'. This is not wrong. Keeping the original meaning of the word 'picante' in mind, this variety simply means it is a spicy salsa. One way to distinguish picante sauce from other types of salsa is by looking at its texture. It comes in a semi-liquid form and is prepared by cooking the ingredients.

Serving size - 3 cups
Cook time - 15 min

Ingredients:
Vine tomatoes, 1¼ lb.
Water, ¼ cup
Cilantro, chopped, 2 tbsp.
White vinegar, 1 tbsp. + 1 tsp.
Garlic cloves, 3
Jalapeños, no stems, 2
White onion, wedges, ½
Salt, to taste

Directions:
Preheat the broiler at least 5 minutes before cooking.
Take a rimmed baking sheet and place tomatoes, jalapeños, onion, and garlic cloves in.
Place the baking sheet over the hot broiler and let the vegetables cook for about 5 minutes or so.
Keep turning the vegetables as often as you feel like (so it doesn't stick to the sheet).
Once you see the tomatoes blister and release juices, remove the sheet off the broiler and keep it aside to cool down.
First take the garlic cloves, peel the skin, and place it in a blender; next, add the other vegetables in.
Add white vinegar, water, and a little bit of salt, and blend the ingredients until it turns smooth.
Do a taste test to see if you need to add anymore salt (you can add lime juice as well).
Pour picante sauce in a bowl, garnish with chopped cilantro, place a cover on top, and serve either warm or chilled (refrigerate for 30 minutes).

What is Pico de Gallo?

This uncooked salad prepared with diced ingredients is also known as salsa fresca, salsa picada, and salsa mexicana. It is another type of salsa with a chunky texture as the ingredients are chopped/diced instead of being cooked or blended together.

Serving size - 2 cups
Cook time - 10 min

Ingredients:
Tomatoes, 2
White onion, ½
Serrano pepper, 1
Cilantro, chopped, 2 tbsp.
Lime juice, 2 tbsp.
Extra virgin olive oil, 1 tbsp.
Salt, to taste

Directions:
Dice the tomatoes and white onion in small bite-size pieces.
Mince the Serrano pepper properly (you can choose not to include the seeds).
In a bowl, add all the ingredients in and combine properly.
Do a taste test to check whether you need more salt or lime juice.
Leave the pico de gallo aside for at least 10 minutes before serving.
While preparing salsa, always use fresh ingredients to get the maximum amount of flavor. Also, avoid storing it in the refrigerator for more than a day or two. You can prepare either recipe and serve with your dish to not only add a variety of colors to the dish, but also to elevate its flavors.