Salsa Verde on Everything!
Roast about a dozen tomatillos, a couple of cloves of garlic, and a jalapeño or two on a sheet pan at 425°F for about a half-hour, or until you can smell the caramelization. Take them out and let them cool a bit and take off the skins. Pour a quarter cup of neutral oil into a blender or food processor. Add the garlic, the tomatillos, chiles, and a handful of cilantro without the stems, and puree or pulse for a chunkier consistency.
(Or you can take Diana Kennedy’s method she learned in Central Mexico: Don’t roast the vegetables and swap the jalapeños for serranos. Boil the tomatillo for 5 minutes. Don’t worry about the skins. Keep the serranos raw. Blend, then before serving, use additional cilantro and finely chopped white onion for garnish.)
Other ways to use this treasure of a sauce:
- Turn it into soup: Sauté the aromatics first (with or without protein), then thin with water or stock and add root vegetables or greens. (Tortilla soup and posole are a natural fit here.)
- Use it to poach eggs or silken tofu.
- Make cornbread with it as some or all of the liquid.
- Simmer tortilla chips in some for chilaquiles.
- Use it for some or all of the liquid to cook rice or grains.
- Add sour cream, cream cheese, or goat cheese to make a creamy dip
5 Ingredient Tomatillo Salsa | Spring Sheldon (makes about 2 cups)
- 1 pound tomatillos (buy locally from The Garden Farm), husked
- 1 medium-large white onion, cut into large dice
- 1 pobaño pepper, cut into large dice
- 6 garlic cloves, peeled
- 1 bunch cilantro, washed, dried, and roughly chopped
- Salt and pepper
Heat oven to 375 degrees.
Arrange the tomatillos, the onion, the poblaño, and the garlic on a rimmed heavy-duty baking sheet.
Roast for 25 minutes or until the tomatillos are tender and lightly browned. Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheet.
Working in batched, combine some of the tomatillo mixture and some of the cilantro in a food processor (or a blender if it has a pulse button) and pulse until you achieve a smooth but still slightly chunky consistency.
Repeat with the remaining ingredients and combine in a bowl. Taste and season with salt and fresh pepper as desired.
Or from Danielle Alvarez | @daniellemariealvarez
Finely chop shallots, then into some white wine vinegar or lemon juice with a good pinch of salt. | Chop any soft herbs you have: parsley, chives, chervil, coriander, basil (and chop the stems, they have great flavour and texture)| I’ve used some coriander stems and parsley. And that’s it!
or from Bon Appetit (makes about 2 cups)
- 1 lb tomatillos, husked, rinsed, quartered
- ½ medium onion, coarsely chopped
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 1 serrano chile, seeds removed if desired, coarsely chopped
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves with tender stems
- kosher salt
Purée tomatillos, onion, garlic, chile, and cilantro in a blender, adding water as needed, until smooth; season with salt.
…and from Ruth Reichl | Salsa Verde
Clifton Fadiman once called cheese “milk’s leap to immortality.” I think of salsa verde as parsley’s bid for lasting fame. Here the little sprig, rarely more than a disposable decoration, has its shining moment. Put this salsa on steak and watch it sing. Serve it with raw tomatoes, with grilled eggplant, or on a plate of scrambled eggs. A single spoonful has the kick and crunch to bring a summer meal together, and this time of year I always have some sitting in my fridge, ready to rescue a dull meal.
One important note: This is the time to use the finest olive oil in your cupboard because ordinary oil will have a negative impact. I particularly like the bright flavor of virgin Tuscan oils here; their prickly bite adds an interesting note.
1 bunch flatleaf Italian parsley
2 shallots
red wine vinegar
¼ cup capers, rinsed and soaked
3 cloves of garlic
½ cup toasted almonds, roughly chopped
half a lemon
high-quality extra-virgin olive oil
salt
pepper
Wash your parsley and pick the leaves until you accumulate a small mountain on your cutting board. In the words of Fergus Henderson, “discipline” your parsley by running your knife repeatedly through the pile. You want a fine chop, but be careful not to mash. Set aside.
Peel and chop your shallots extremely fine and cover with red wine vinegar. Drain and chop your capers. Peel and mince the garlic. Cut your lemon in half. Mise-en-place complete: prepare to assemble!
Beginning with your parsley, add half of the shallots, half the capers, all the garlic, and almonds, and toss. Taste the mixture for salt and acid, and continue to add shallots and capers accordingly, bearing in mind that the capers will significantly raise the salt content.
Douse the entire salsa in olive oil, stirring it into a shimmering green pool, and adjust the seasoning with a squeeze of lemon to brighten the flavors, salt and pepper if necessary. Some like it soupier – I prefer mine more rustic,
It’s ready to eat now, but it will be even better tomorrow, when the the flavors have had a chance to get better acquainted.
