Roasted Tomatillo Salsa

I have always been drawn to tomatillo salsa. There’s just something about the texture and slightly tart, sweet flavor that makes it impossible for me to stop dipping chip after chip.

It also happens to be very easy to make.

My household is consumed with March Madness at this time of year so I love to have this type of thing in the fridge for us to pull out and snack on during the games. I could choose to brag about how my brackets are in first place in spite of my complete lack of basketball knowledge but I’m far better than that. Okay, maybe I’m not…I’m in first place! One woman in a house full of basketball watchin’ men and guess who is in first place? That’s right!

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Back to the salsa.

Here is the star of this show – the tomatillo. You will need to remove the papery husks which come off very easily.

You’ll notice that they feel a bit sticky when the husks are removed. Give them a good rinse with cold water until they are no longer sticky. Place the drained tomatillos, sliced onion, and garlic cloves on a rimmed baking sheet.

Time to bring the heat. Since the heat of the jalapeno comes from the seeds and the ribs, I remove some of both because I’m a wimp. Be sure to leave some behind though or you’ll get absolutely no heat at all. You can see here how much I left behind. If you like it hot you can leave it all, or even throw in an additional jalapeno.

Place the tomatillos, onion, jalapeno, and whole garlic cloves on a baking sheet and drizzle  it all with about 2 tablespoons of olive oil. I have to admit that I never measure here – I just grab the oil and go for it. Season the mixture with some sea salt. Roast in a 375 degree oven for 15 minutes or more until tomatillos have softened and are slightly charred. Carefully reach in with an oven mitt about every 5 minutes or so and give the pan a shake.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes.

Transfer the tomatillo mixture to a food processor and add 1/4 cup olive oil, 1/2 bunch of cilantro, and the juice of one lime.

Process until smooth. Now here’s the dangerous part – grab some tortilla chips and give it a taste. Season with additional salt if desired.

Try not to eat it all right now.

Good luck.

Refrigerate it until completely chilled. Serve with tortilla chips or on tacos, burritos, etc.

Roasted Tomatillo Salsa

Yield: Approximately 3 cups

Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 pounds tomatillos, husks removed
• 1/2 large yellow onion, sliced
• 1 large jalapeno, halved and seeded
• 6 whole garlic cloves, peeled
• 1/ 4 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, plus additional to taste
• 1/2 bunch fresh cilantro
• 1 fresh lime

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Rinse tomatillos under cold water until no longer sticky. Drain well and place tomatillos on a large baking sheet along with jalapenos, onion slices, and whole cloves of garlic. Drizzle with about 2 tablespoons of olive oil and sprinkle salt over the top. Roast in the preheated oven for 15 to 18 minutes. With an oven mit on, reach in and give the pan a shake every 5 minutes throughout cooking time. Roast until tomatillos have softened and are slightly charred. Remove from oven and allow to cool for a couple of minutes.

Transfer tomatillo mixture to a food processor and add cilantro, juice from the lime, and 1/4 cup olive oil. Process till smooth. Taste and add additional salt if needed.

Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate till completely chilled. Serve with tortilla chips or use as a condiment for tacos or burritos.