Tomatillo Salsa Step by Step

Nov012

I think should explain the salsa I described previously a little more in depth.  Take these ingredients and place them on a medium high comal or skillet: 2 slices of red onion, 2 cloves of unpeeled garlic, 2 serrano chiles and some tomatillos in their husks.

Nov024

Allow them to roast and get soft. The onions will start to caramelize. Flip the onions when they’re done and move the other ingredients around to cook evenly.

Nov035

As the ingredients finish, place them in a bowl to cool down and to collect any juices that may run. The tomatillos will start to get soft and hiss as they finish.
As the vegetables cool, peel the tomatillo and garlic skins. You can pull off any excess skin from the chiles but don’t waste a lot of energy on it.

Nov046

Chop the onions fine and set aside. You can grind the onions with the rest of the ingredients but I like to add them in the end for a more interesting texture. Chop the chiles and the halve the tomatillos.

Nov043

You can mix the salsa in a food processor but here I’m using my molcajete. Starting with just the garlic, chopped chiles and salt, grind the ingredients to a paste.

Nov050

Add the tomatillos and start grinding until they mixture is somewhat smooth. This is a real pleasure. Grinding in the molcajete feels great and provides a texture you just can’t get from a food processor.

Nov055

When you get a texture you like, add the juice of a key lime (or small Persian lime). Add about a 1/4 teaspoon of ground cumin. If you are like me, you will add more because more is better. Right? Wrong! It shouldn’t taste like cumin in the final dish. Just this pinch adds a beautiful rich nuance and any more is too much. Try it my way and add more later if I am wrong. You can also add cilantro but I didn’t feel like it so I didn’t. Add the chopped onions and then mix well. You may need to add some salt. You are finished and I am hungry.

Nov060

 

Published by

Steve Sando

I dig beans.

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