A basic salsa verde made with simmered tomatillos and cilantro.
There is nothing basic about this!
This salsa verde is fresh, bright and not too salty like those store-bought versions. I tried making it with raw tomatillos, but they’re borderline sour. Roasting them really brings out their best side. Tomatillos look like small green tomatoes with husks, but they aren’t tomatoes—they’re cousins. I’ve had an easy time finding them at grocery stores lately.
Some purchased roasted tomatillo salsas I’ve tried taste too roasted/smoky (artificial flavourings, anyone?), but not this one. You can also control just how roasted those tomatillos get when you roast them yourself. I think it turned out just right with the times specified in the recipe below.
Roasted Salsa Verde
4 lb. tomatillos, husks removed
2 medium-size white onions, each cut into 8 wedges
2 jalapeño or serrano peppers
6 garlic cloves, peeled
1⁄2 cup lime juice (about 6 limes)
1⁄4 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro leaves
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
Preheat oven to 425°F. Arrange tomatillos, stem side down, on a large rimmed baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Place onions, jalapeño peppers, and garlic on prepared baking sheet. Bake at 425°F for 15 minutes or until garlic is softened. Remove garlic from baking sheet. Bake onion mixture 15 more minutes or until onion is tender and tomatillos and peppers are slightly charred. Remove from oven and cool slightly. When peppers are cool enough to handle, remove stems and seeds.
Process roasted vegetables and garlic, in batches, in a food processor until smooth. Transfer to a 4-qt. stainless steel or enameled saucepan. Stir in lime juice and remaining ingredients. Bring to a simmer. Remove from heat.
Ladle hot salsa into a hot jar, leaving 1⁄2-inch headspace. Remove air bubbles. Wipe jar rim. Center lid on jar. Apply band, and adjust to fingertip-tight. Place jar in boiling- water canner. Repeat until all jars are filled.
4. Process jars 20 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Turn off heat; remove lid, and let jars stand 5 minutes. Remove jars and cool.
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