TOMATILLO SALSA: Keepin' It Green

I've made this salsa a bunch of different ways and it is super good every time. It's great for parties and for gifts. It also works well as an extra condiment to have around the house for a few days.

There is one main thing that guides my decision making in putting together this salsa: what's green, goes in. Of course, there are exceptions to this rule. Not all green ingredients make the cut. But those that possess this quality are certainly more in the running than those that do not. It's just the way it goes on this one.

This salsa works well both chopped with a knife, coarsely or finely, or processed smooth in the food processor or blender. I have to say, my food processor is a great friend in certain times, making it a snap to do things like whip together a fancy bowl of salsa!

My recipe changes depending on what I have, how much time I have, and how much energy I have. The tomatillos can be raw, roasted, or boiled. I tend to leave the skins on just for convenience sake, and I think the salsa tastes just fine with them in there. I like to use a combination of cooked and raw tomatillos, allowing both their sweet and tart aspects to shine through.

My most recent version of this recipe looked like this.
Ingredients:
(For 7 cups of salsa, a medium-sized bowl)

• 8 cups tomatillos
• 1 poblano chili pepper
• 1 1/2 cups cilantro
• 1 leek
• 1 green onion
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 lime
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt

What to Do:

Heat the oven to 450 degrees. Put 6 cups of the tomatillos on a baking pan, as well as the poblano pepper. Drizzle with some olive oil and a shake of salt. Once the oven is hot, add the tomatillos and pepper in to cook for about 10 minutes or so, until they are nice and tender. Meanwhile, wash and coarsely chop the leek and green onion. Place the raw tomatillos, cilantro, leek, green onion, and garlic cloves into the food processor or blender. This may need to be done in batches. Once ingredients are blended, transfer them into a large bowl. De-stem and de-seed the poblano pepper. Put the cooked tomatillos and the poblano pepper into the food processor or blender. Once blended, add these ingredients in with the others in the large bowl. Squeeze in the lime and add in the salt. Stir and there you have it!

Some other ingredients that are great to try are avocados, cucumbers, and green bell peppers. Try different kinds of hot peppers, or leave them out, whatever you prefer. Some basil surely doesn't hurt things. Whatever the final recipe, the end product is sure to be full of satisfying, beautiful green foods, keeping you nourished and feeling bright.

Experiment and try out different combinations. Endless great green possibilities are yours to enjoy!