Roasted Tomatillo Salsa

roastedtomatillosalsa

INGREDIENTS

  • 6-7 medium tomatillos, husked and rinsed

  • 1 or 2 serranos or 1 jalapeno (stemmed)

  • 2 large garlic cloves, peeled

  • 6 sprigs of fresh cilantro (thick bottom stems cut off), roughly chopped

  • 1/4 cup onion, finely diced

  • Salt

PREPARATION

  1. Roast the tomatillos, chile(s) and garlic on a rimmed baking sheet 4 inches below a very hot broiler, until blotchy black and softening (they’ll be turning from lime green to olive), about 5 minutes. Flip them over and roast the other side. Allow to cool.

  2. Transfer everything to a blender, including all the delicious juice the tomatillos have exuded during roasting. Add the cilantro, then blend to a coarse puree.

  3. Scoop into a serving dish. Rinse the onion under cold water, then shake to remove excess moisture. Stir into the salsa and season with salt, usually 1/2 teaspoon.

RECIPE NOTES

Perhaps like many of you, I don’t have an outdoor grill but that doesn’t stop me from burning things. I use my oven broiler instead to put a flavorful char on things like eggplant, red peppers and in this case tomatillos. This is an old-standby recipe from Chef Rick Bayless that I have been using for years. It’s more on that tart and tangy side and is ideal for dolloping over tacos or serving alongside roast chicken or grilled skirt steak. If you find it’s too tart, a couple pinches of sugar should balance things out.

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