An Inspired Cook

Have I mentioned how much I love salsa.  Well, I do!  An I don’t feel guilty because I make it myself without preservatives, I can control the salt content and I use fresh ingredients.   Salsa Verde is always a prelude to enchiladas or burritos because I make a big batch, save some for dipping and the rest will make a sauce to smother enchiladas or burritos.  Inspired by Bobby Flay who makes a similar salsa.

I grabbed some NM chiles from my freezer that have been roasted already but I’m going to start up the broiler and roast the poblano’s, jalapeno’s, tomatillos garlic and onions.  If you can’t get the NM chiles, you can substitute Anaheim chiles and roast them along with the other veggies.

It would be easy to grill these over a gas grill, but these days it’s just too hot outside so I lined a cookie sheet with aluminum foil and layered all the chiles, onions, garlic and tomatillos on it.  Place under a broiler at 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes making sure to turn the veggies over every few minutes.  When the chiles have roasted on all sides transfer them to a plastic bag to steam for at least 20 minutes. Once they have sweat it out, take them out and peel under running water.  The skin should slide off easily.  Remove the stem and seeds as well.

Look at all the different colors of green.  Everything has been peeled, stemmed and cored.  Core the tomatillos after they have roasted and cooled because if you core them prior to roasting you will lose all that juice.

Place all the chiles, onions, garlic and tomatillos in the blender along with 1/4 cup lime juice, 1/2 cup chopped cilantro and 1 1/2 tablespoons of honey.  Start pulsing until it becomes easier to blend.

It should be a nice thick consistency.  Salt to taste.




Salsa Verde

1 1/2 pound firm Tomatillos
2 large or 3 small Poblano Peppers
2  Jalapeno Peppers
2 large NM Hatch Green Chile
4 cloves Garlic
1 large Onion, quartered
1/2 cup Cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup Lime Juice
1 1/2 tablespoons Honey
Salt to taste
Olive oil for drizzling

Preheat broiler to 400 degrees.  Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil and place the tomatillos, onion, garlic and chiles on single layer.  Drizzle with olive oil.  Roast until slightly charred, turning the chiles, tomatillos, garlic and onions over until all sides are roasted.  When the chiles are roasted on all sides, transfer to a plastic bag and seal for 20 minutes.  Peel the chiles under running water, stem and seed. Once cooled, core the tomatillos, and peel the garlic.  Transfer all to a blender along with the chopped cilantro, lime juice, and honey.  Blend until you get a thick smooth consistency.  Season with salt to taste.