All Posts By: NANCY DeLUCIA REAL

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Active prep time: 15 to 20 minutes (total time for both salsas)
Serves: 4 to 6, as a side condiment

Salsa verde is a creamy mixture of mainly avocado and tomatillos. The tomatillo is tart – almost lemony – so it keeps the bright color in this salsa.

Pico de gallo is a salsa consisting of tomatoes, onions, cilantro and Serrano chiles.

Both salsas make for great condiments to chicken, meat, seafood dishes, eggs or other savory foods.

Ingredients for Salsa Verde:
3 medium tomatillos, husks removed and each cut into fourths
3 tablespoons chopped white or yellow onion
1 Serrano chile, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons water
5 sprigs fresh cilantro – use leaves only
1 medium ripe avocado, halved and pitted
salt, to taste (start with 1/2 teaspoon and adjust)

Directions for Salsa Verde:
1. Place the tomatillos, onion and chile pieces with water in a blender.

2. Add the cilantro and avocado; purée the mixture on pulse-blend until it’s smooth. If it looks too thick/lumpy, add 1 tablespoon water and pulse-blend again.

3. Stir in the salt, slightly purée the mixture and taste. Adjust salt level, if needed.

4. Pour the salsa verde in a glass bowl or jar, cover with plastic wrap and, if serving the same day, serve it within 1 hour.

5. Alternatively, cover and refrigerate for 1 to 2 days.

Ingredients for Pico de Gallo:
3 to 4 Roma tomatoes, cut in half and seeds and pulp discarded
1/3 cup chopped white or yellow onion
1/2 of a Serrano chile, finely-chopped
4 to 5 sprigs fresh cilantro, use leaves only – finely-chopped
dash ground cumin
salt, to taste
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (optional)

Directions for Pico de Gallo:
1. Cut each half tomato into 1/2-inch thick slices; then, cut into 1/2-inch cubes.

2. In a 4-cup mixing bowl, combine the cubed tomatoes, onion, chile, cilantro, cumin and salt. Stir in the olive oil, if desired (it adds great taste to the salsa).

3. Serve Pico de Gallo immediately.

NOTE: You can refrigerate Pico de Gallo, covered and sealed in a bowl and use it the next day, mixed in and cooked with scrambled eggs, for breakfast.
Text & Photograph ©2026 Nancy DeLucia Real

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Active prep time: 15 minutes
Inactive prep time: 30-35 minutes (cooking beets)
Serves: 4

For a dinner on Valentine’s Day or any day, this beet salad makes for a perfect side dish. The beets are infused with exquisite flavors – olive oil, lime juice, balsamic vinegar, red onion. The white tzatziki complements the red and yellow beets!

PREPARE THE TZATZIKI FIRST AND THEN CHILL IT IN REFRIGERATOR FOR AT LEAST TWO (2) HOURS –

Ingredients for the Tzatziki:
1 Persian cucumber (this variety is small)
1-1/4 cups Greek yogurt (whole milk, low fat or nonfat)
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint or dill (optional)
salt and ground black pepper, to taste

Directions for the Tzatziki:
1. Peel and coarsely grate the cucumber. Put it in a sieve and squeeze out as much of the water as possible.

2. Place grated cucumber in a 1-quart bowl.

3. Add the yogurt, garlic and chopped mint or dill to the cucumber in bowl. Mix well.

4. Stir in the salt and ground black pepper, to taste. Adjust seasonings, if needed.

5. Cover the tzatziki with plastic wrap and chill in refirgerator.

6. Meanwhile, cook and prepare the beet salad.

Ingredients for the Beets:
2 fresh, whole medium red beets, peeled and set aside
2 fresh, whole medium yellow beets, peeled and set aside
1/2 of a red onion, peeled and thinly sliced
4 to 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
juice from 1 lime
4 tablespoons dark balsamic vinegar
salt and ground black pepper, to taste
1/4 cup fresh pistachio meats, coarsely-crushed for garnish

Directions for the Beets:
1. Preheat oven to 400°F.

2. Wrap each peeled beet in aluminum foil, gathering the foil at top of beet and twisting it closed.

3. Place each wrapped beet on an oven rack that is set at center of oven.

4. Bake the beets for 30 minutes.

5. After 30 minutes, partially unwrap one beet and place a pointed knife all the way through. If the beet feels too firm, bake for 5 more minutes.

6. After 5 minutes, test doneness of beet once more. If tender, the knife will easily go through the beet. If needed, bake beets for 5 more minutes.

7. When beets are done, transfer them to a plate on a counter. Unwrap the beets and set aside to cool.

8. After beets have cooled to room temperature, slice the red ones into 1/4-inch thick slices.

9. Cut each slice into 1/4-inch wide sticks; transfer the but beets to a mixing bowl.

10. Repeat with the yellow beets, placing them in a separate bowl.

11. Divide the red onion slices, olive oil, lime juice, balsamic vinegar, salt and ground black pepper among the red beets and yellow beets.

12. Taste and adjust levels of olive oil, balsamic vinegar and seasonings, if needed. Cover each bowl of beets with plastic wrap until ready to serve. Beets can be prepared a few hours before serving.

At Serving Time:
1. Inside the rim of a dinner plate, using a spoon, form a one-inch wide circle of tzatziki.

2. Next, spoon the beets at center of the dinner plate, alternating red beet salad and yellow beet salad, for colorful display.

3. Garnish beets and tzatziki with crushed pistachios and drizzle drops of olive oil over the tzatziki. Serve immediately.
Text & Photograph ©2026 Nancy DeLucia Real

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Active prep time: 10 minutes
Inactive prep time: 10 minutes
Serves: 2

We’re in mid-winter now and need some warming up. Here’s a Mexican soup called “pozole” (traditionally made with pork shoulder).

In this recipe, we used rotisserie chicken, chicken broth and hominy (white corn). The toppings of cilantro, onion and radishes add excitement to this soup.

Ingredients:
2 quarts chicken broth (bone broth)
1/2 of a rotisserie chicken, skin & bones discarded and meat shredded into bite-size pieces
salt, to taste
1-1/2 cups canned hominy (rinsed and drained)
3/4 cup finely-chopped green cabbage or cilantro leaves
3/4 cup finely-chopped white or yellow onion
3/4 cup finely-chopped radishes

Directions:
1. In a 6-quart saucepot, bring the broth to a boil.

2. When broth boils, add the shredded chicken and hominy.

3. Let soup boil for about 5 minutes. Taste and, if needed, add salt.

4. Serve the pozole in individual bowls and add cilantro leaves, onion and radishes, to taste.

5. Pozole can be accompanied by warm tortillas or corn tostadas.

6. Store leftover soup in an airtight bowl in refrigerator up to two days. Toppings can also be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated.
Text & Photograph ©2026 Nancy DeLucia Real

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Active prep time: 30 minutes
Inactive prep time (cooking rice): 35 to 40 minutes
Serves: 4 to 6, as a side dish

This recipe was inspired by Pascal Beale’s cookbook entitled, Les Fruits Savory and Sweet Recipes from the Market Table.

The colors of this dish look festive and the fusion of ingredients make for an exciting and delicious rice!

Ingredients:
1 cup black rice, also called forbidden rice
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
juice from one lime
2 Japanese persimmons, peeled and diced
1 cup pomegranate seeds
3/4 cup finely-chopped cilantro leaves
1/2 cup finely-chopped red onion
1/2 cup walnuts, cut into 1/4-inch pieces (this can be substituted with almonds or pistachios)

Directions:
1.Rinse rice under cold water and drain.

2. Place drained rice in a 12-inch nonstick skillet, cover with 2 cups cold water and bring to a boil.

3. When rice boils, add the salt and lower heat to simmer; cook for about 30 to 35 minutes.

4. Every 5 to 8 minutes, check to see if liquid evaporates – RICE SHOULD NEVER LOOK DRY.

5. As the rice cooks and liquid evaporates, you may need to add cold water in 1/4 to 1/3-cup increments.

6. After 35 minutes, taste the rice. If it tastes raw, cook rice for an additional 10 minutes.

7. As rice cooks, you may need to add small amounts of water again.

8. When rice tastes done, transfer it to a large stainless steel or glass bowl.

9. Add olive oil, lime juice and toss. Taste the rice and, if needed, add a little more olive oil and/or lime juice, to taste.

10. Toss in the remaining ingredients. Taste again and adjust seasonings.

11. Serve rice immediately as a side dish to meat, fish or poultry. It can also be part of a buffet table.
Text & Photograph ©2025 Nancy DeLucia Real

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Prep time: 15 to 30 minutes
Makes: 12 to 14 cookies

Let the kids make a Christmas mess in the kitchen. This cookie project is fun and fingerlickin’ good – literally!

Ingredients:
1 cup semisweet or milk chocolate chips, melted in a double boiler
One package Pepperidge Farm Milano Coconut Cookies® or your favorite smooth-topped cookies
3 green candy canes, crushed and set in a bowl
3 red candy canes, crushed and set in a bowl
One cookie sheet lined with parchment paper for each participant

Directions:
1. Place double boiler with melted chocolate on a trivet at center of work table.

2. Set a plate with cookies and bowls with crushed candy canes next to the chocolate.

3. Ask each participant to use a spoon or round-tipped knife to spread chocolate onto each cookie top.

4. Next, ask them to top with crushed candy canes.

5. Set cookies on a platter and serve immediately.

Note: Decorated cookies can be stored in an airtight container and refrigerated for 2 to 3 days.
Text & Photograph ©2025 Nancy DeLucia Real