Hi! Hope you all had a wonderful Mother’s Day weekend. Mine was filled with the most beautiful of gifts. Louisa performed in her first ever dance recital and although she wasn’t the most graceful swan you ever did see, she danced with such poise and passion that I could barely contain the tears….at the rehearsal…. or the performance—I was a hot mess.
It was like God peeling open my eyes and heart and saying “Look what you made!” and it was one of those rare occasions when I could actually see it. No Mother’s Day gift could compare.
Afterwards we had a big ‘ol barbecue back at our place, which at the time of planning sounded like a wonderful idea, but Sunday ended up cold, rainy, and fairly miserable. Instead of sundresses in the grass, The Professor put the grill in the garage and everyone drank sangria in the warm house.
We grilled short ribs and Cuban chicken. I made my favorite guacamole and there was roasted veggies, tamarind agua fresca, fresh pineapple, and these savory pico de gallo scones. Barbecues aren’t just for Father’s Day ya’ know.
I used the basic flavors of my favorite chunky salsa for these scones—red onion, jalapeños, lime zest, and instead of fresh tomatoes that would make the dough too wet I used sun dried instead.
The onions and chiles get sauteed in a little butter…because, well, butter, then everything gets mixed with the flour, rubber spatula style.
As soon as the dough is shaggy mess, dump out onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead it into a ball. Use just enough flour so it is not sticking to everything, but not so much that you’re thinking to yourself, “this is easy!” You should be slightly annoyed.
Lightly flour a rolling pin and roll to about 3/4-inch thick. Then cut into 12 wedges, but don’t pull them apart. The finished scones will be slightly doughy in the middle (this is a good thing, I promise you) and crunchy on the edges. If you like it crunchy all over, you can separate the triangles and line them up on the baking sheet that way.
Let the scones cool down for a few minutes and then dig in. These are best eaten warm, straight from the oven, but if you want to make them ahead you can put the unbaked, pre cut scones in the freezer and bake from frozen when you are ready.
Pico de Gallo Scones
These Pico de Gallo scones are loaded with red onions, chiles, cheese and lime zest for a soft, pliable dough that produces a fluffy, dreamy scone.
Ingredients
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, divided
- 1 Serrano chile, cored, seeded, and chopped
- 1 small red onion, chopped
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- zest of 1 lime
- 1/2 cup chopped sundried tomatoes
- 1 cup crumbled Ranchero® Queso Fresco
- 1 cup Cacique® Crema Mexicana, plus more for brushing
Instructions
Heat oven to 375°F and arrange a rack in the middle. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add Serrano chile, onion, and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.
Combine flour, baking powder, lime zest, tomatoes, and queso in a large bowl. Add cooled onion mixture and stir to combine.
Using a box grater, grate the remaining butter through the large holes into the flour mixture. Toss the shreds of butter into the flour to coat.
Make a well in the middle of the mixture and pour in the crema. Using a wooden spoon, combine the mixture until it is a shaggy mass. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead into a ball. Roll the ball into a 1 1/2-inch thick circle.
Transfer circle to the parchment-lined baking sheet and cut into 12 scones with a sharp knife. You can leave the circle intact if you like a more doughy scone or separate each triangle about 2-inches apart if you like them more crunchy on the outside. Brush the tops with more crema and place in the oven.
Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden and baked through. Let cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.
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Now you’ve done it! I mean, this might be your best idea yet!
You are too sweet! Thanks, Aida.