Roasted Tomatillo Salsa
I have often seen tomatillos listed as an ingredient, but only recently tried cooking with them. For those of you in Maryland, I first bought tomatillos at the Crossroads farmers' market, which has a decidedly Latin flair. Crossroads is now closed for the winter, but you can find tomatillos at Latin markets or I have even seen them at Whole Foods.
They are interesting little critters. They have a tangy, citrusy flavor and when broiled, they develop a delicious smokiness. Their papery skins are easy to peel and are enchanting as they come off.
Underneath the skins, the tomatillos are a bit sticky. They need to be rinsed to remove that gumminess before they are roasted. This salsa comes together very quickly and would make a delicious topping for tacos, quesadillas, or an omelette. We ate ours with chips, which would be a perfect after-school or game-watching snack.
Roasted Tomatillo Salsa
The serrano chile made this salsa too spicy for all the children except Olivia, who has a reasonable threshold for spicy food. If you are making this to serve children, I recommend separating the ingredients in half and and adding the chile to the adult half.
Makes about 1 1/2 cups salsa
15 minutes preparation time
7 minutes cooking time
25-30 tomatillos, papery skins removed and rinsed
1 serrano chile (optional)
1 very small garlic clove minced (about 1/2 teaspoon)
2-3 teaspoons freshly squeezed lime juice
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
Set an oven rack on the top setting, and preheat the oven to broil. Spread the tomatillos and chile, if you are using it, on a cookie sheet and broil them, turning them once or twice, until they are soft and partially blackened, about 7 minutes. If you are using a chile but want the salsa a bit less spicy, let it cool and remove the seeds. Put the tomatillos and chile in a food processor or blender. Add the remaining ingredients and puree until smooth. See, isn't that easy?
Use as you would your favorite salsa.
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