The tomatillos that have been staring at me from the corner of the kitchen counter since I harvested them a week ago. So while the bread was proofing yesterday, I tackled them. I’m getting brave this week! Pshaw, domesticity fears - here I come!
I made tomatillo salsa, sort of adapting several recipes on the internet and in the Joy of Cooking. The only thing not from our garden are garlic and onions (which could be, and will be next year) and salt.
Pic: Verde and Purple di Milpa tomatillos
Melinda’s Roasted Tomatillo Salsa
4 lbs. tomatillos, husked and washed (to remove the sticky film they have)
6 green cayenne peppers (or jalepeno, serrano), seeded
6 cloves of garlic
1.5 medium-sized yellow onions, diced
8 scallions, chopped in 1/4”-1/2” pieces
4t salt
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1.Preheat oven to broil, with the rack on the top shelf (a broiler would also work well). Lay the tomatillos side by side in a single layer on a cookie sheet (ungreased). Broil until soft and darkened on the top (4-6 minutes), watching constantly. Turn them over on the other side and broil until darkened on the top (another 5 minutes or so). Let cool completely.
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2.Dry roast the cayenne and garlic in a skillet or frying pan, constantly shaking the pan and turning them over, until both are soft and the outer layer is browned. Finely chop both and set aside.
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3.Dry roast the diced onions until slightly translucent and beginning to brown.
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4.Dry roast the scallions until slightly browned - this should take 1-3 minutes.
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5.Once cooled, place tomatillos and any juice into a blender, or blend by hand, just until blended but still chunky.
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6.Pour all ingredients into a bowl, mix, and let sit for a few minutes, letting the flavors mingle and develop. Refrigerate unused portions - the taste will be even better the next day.
Time this recipe takes: 1 - 1.5 hours from husking to eating.
This makes 6 cups of salsa - enough for dinner, lunch the next day, and a lot more to freeze or preserve. It’s easily adaptable to a smaller amount!
Pic: Yummy roasted tomatillo salsa
