It’s warming up in LA which means I’ve got the grill going at least 3 to 4 times a week. There’s a degree of inexplicable satisfaction that comes with charring food on the hot grates of a grill and I suspect you will see a lot more grilling recipes in the upcoming weeks. You might notice a few changes in this week’s recipe writing style. Let me know what you think. I’m using the style of writing seen in “The Joy of Cooking” books that I feel makes recipes much easier to read and also the way in which ingredients are listed. I’d love to hear your thoughts on what you think makes for an easier recipe writing style.
Now for this week’s recipe. There are several variations of this popular and verdant salsa from Mexico, I love the subtle smoky flavor that comes from grilling the vegetables before they come together in the blender. I serve it over my eggs for breakfast, alongside vegetables and meats, and of course as a dip with a good amount of tortilla chips.
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Salsa Verde
There are several variations of this popular and verdant salsa from Mexico; I love the subtle smoky flavor that comes from grilling the vegetables before they come together in the blender. I serve it over my eggs for breakfast, alongside vegetables and meats, and of course, as a dip with a good amount of tortilla chips.
- Yield: 2.5 cups
Ingredients
2 Tbsp of extra-virgin olive oil
1 lb tomatillos
4 cloves of garlic with their paper on
2 small white or yellow onions,
2 jalapeños or 1 serrano
1/2 cup packed fresh cilantro leaves and stems
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
Fine sea salt
Sugar
Instructions
Clean the grates of a grill and brush the grill with a little extra-virgin olive oil. Set the heat to medium-high. Dehusk and rinse the tomatillos, pat them dry with a clean kitchen towel, and place them in a large bowl. Add garlic with their paper on, the onions, and the jalapeños, drizzle 2 Tbsp of extra-virgin olive oil and toss to coat well. If you prefer to skip the bowl, just brush the vegetables with the oil. Grill the vegetables on the hot grill for about 8 minutes, till they all develop char marks, and the tomatillos turn a light dull green and are just about ready to burst. You might need to pull the chiles and the garlic off the grill, as they tend to cook quicker than the rest. Let the vegetables sit till they’re cool enough to handle. Peel off and discard the skins and stalks from the onions, garlic, and chillies. Place all the roasted vegetables in the bowl of a food processor. Add the cilantro leaves and stems along with the lime juice. Pulse for a few seconds till it turns slightly chunky. Taste and season with salt. Depending on how sour the salsa tastes, I sometimes add a pinch of sugar. Store the salsa verde in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Notes
- You can make this hotter by adding a hotter fresh green chile.
- If you don’t own a grill, you can use your oven. Broil the vegetables on a baking sheet, till the vegetables start to char, about 10 minutes. Another option is to char the vegetables in a dry cast-iron skillet over medium heat.
