WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
Salsa verde (“green sauce”) is even more common than tomato-based salsa on the Mexican table. We wanted a tangy salsa that highlighted the green, citrusy notes of tomatillos. While some recipes use raw tomatillos, most call for cooking them by either boiling or roasting. Cooking softens the fruit, which can be quite firm, and mellows its acidity. We found that charring half of the tomatillos under the broiler and leaving the other half raw produced a salsa with clean, fresh flavor and subtle, smoky nuances. We combined the tomatillos with traditional salsa seasonings (jalapeño, onion, garlic, cilantro, lime juice, and salt) in the bowl of a food processor, and pulsed the salsa to a chunky consistency. Serve with tortilla chips or dolloped on steaks, chicken, or fish.
MAKES ABOUT: 2 cups
TOTAL TIME: 1 hour
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 pound tomatillos, husks and stems removed, rinsed well and dried
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
- 1 small white onion, chopped
- 1 jalapeño chile, stemmed, halved, and seeded
- ½ cup fresh cilantro leaves
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- Salt
- 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
- Sugar
INSTRUCTIONS:
1 POUND TOMATILLOS:
- Husks and stems removed, rinsed well and dried
- Halve half of tomatillos and leave the other half whole
- Toss half of tomatillos with 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil and broil until spotty brown and skins begin to burst, around 7 to 10 minutes
- Transfer broiled tomatillos to food processor and let cool completely.
SALSA:
- Add remaining tomatillos, 1 small white onion (chopped), 1 jalapeño chile (stemmed, halved, and seeded), ½ cup fresh cilantro leaves, 2 tablespoons lime juice, 1 minced garlic clove, and ¼ teaspoon salt to the food processor
- Pulse until slightly chunky, around 16 to 18 pulses
- Transfer salsa to serving bowl and let sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes
- Stir in 2 teaspoons of extra-virgin olive oil and season with salt and sugar to taste before serving
- Salsa can be refrigerated for up to 2 days
