Remembering Summer: Tomatillo salsa

Something that grows really well here in the Pacific Northwest are, surprisingly, tomatillos. I grew up in California and even then, I had never eaten as many tomatillos as I have since I started eating locally. My staple tomatillo product is chicken tomatillo soup, which is super easy and delicious; however, another great way to use them is in tomatillo salsa!

Green salsa is great on tacos, in quesedillas, on eggs, with chips and cream cheese (nom nom nom!)-- so I'm going to show you how to make yourself some green salsa right now. As usual, I don't really have a recipe but I've been successful with this enough to approximate things for you.

First up, you'll need tomatillos. Peel them and wash them thoroughly. Lots of dirt gets under the husks (tomatillos are sort of sticky and come in a papery husk after harvested) and sticks to the fruit. Also, sometimes, if you're using older tomatillos, the husk can start to rot a bit (the fruit will be protected) so it is really important to get them super clean! 

So, you'll need about a pound of tomatillos and the things on my cutting board above. An onion, peppers a lime and cilantro. All of these things, save the lime, came from my farm share. Adjust the amount of peppers to your personal taste.

Cook your tomatillos. I used a pot in this instance but now, generally, I roast my tomatillos in the oven for about 20 minutes. I feel like the roasting enhances the flavors. If you're really fancy, you can char them over an open flame when they've softened or set them on broil in the oven for about three minutes after they've finished roasting. If you're boiling, bring them to a boil and then simmer them for about 8-10 minutes.

This is chat your cooked tomatillos will look like. Now they look like the green salsa that you see in the store right?

Because it was uninteresting, me chopping the ends off the peppers, seeding them and tossing them into the processor wasn't photographed. This mixture is of a peeled and quartered onion, prepped peppers, and washed cilantro. I like my salsa smooth. If you like yours more chunky, don't process it so much. I know some people who claim to love to do this chopping work by hand because it infuses love into the food. At least so I am told. I'm fine with unloved food.

Throw your tomatillos into the processor/blender a couple at a time. I guess you could do this by hand but watch out! Tomatillos are juicy when they're cooked.  Once your tomatillos are the consistency you prefer, season it with salt and lime juice. I prefer sea salt but you can use any old salt. The lime acts both as a flavoring and a preservative. My tomatillo salsa lasts for about 6 weeks in a tightly sealed container in the fridge.  I haven't ever tried freezing it (it goes too quickly in this house) but you might have luck with that.