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Tomatillo Salsa

Source of Recipe

From "The Pickled Pantry" by Andrea Chesman


Recipe Introduction

"Sometimes called Mexican green tomatoes, tomatillos are not tomatoes at all, though they are in the same nightshade family as tomatoes and eggplant. If you let them ripen to yellow, they are quite sweet, but they are generally picked and used green. They make a lovely green salsa, nicely complementing red tomato-based salsas. This salsa is flavored with pimentón, ground smoked paprika. It adds a hint of smoke to the salsa, contributing to the complexity of the flavor. Before serving, stir in some fresh chopped cilantro to brighten the flavor, and use this salsa any way you would serve a red salsa."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 2 ½ pounds tomatillos
â—¦ 3 green jalapeños
â—¦ 1 large onion, quartered
â—¦ 4 cloves garlic
â—¦ ¾ cup bottled lime juice or lemon juice
â—¦ 1 tablespoon sugar, or to taste
â—¦ 2 teaspoons pickling or fine sea salt, or to taste
â—¦ 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
â—¦ ¼ teaspoon pimentón, or to taste (optional)


Recipe

Remove the husks from the tomatillos and wash to remove their sticky coating. Chop into quarters. (You should have about 7 cups.)

Roast the jalapeños over the open flame of a gas burner or under a broiler, turning until charred all over, about 5 minutes. Place in a paper or plastic bag or covered container and allow the chiles to steam for 10 minutes. This makes the skins easier to remove.

While the chiles steam, put the tomatillos in the food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Transfer to a large saucepan. Put the onion and garlic in the food processor (don't bother to wash it out) and pulse until finely chopped. Add to the tomatillos along with the lime juice, sugar, salt, cumin seeds, and pimentón, if using. Place the saucepan over medium heat.

Peel the jalapeños (but do not rinse), then cut them open to remove the seeds. Chop the jalapeños and add to the saucepan. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Taste and adjust the amount of salt, sugar, or pimentón. The cumin flavor will develop over time, but the flavor of the salsa should be fairly balanced. Ladle the hot salsa into clean hot 1-pint canning jars, leaving ½ inch headspace. Remove any air bubbles and seal.

Process in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes. Let cool undisturbed for 12 hours. Store in a cool, dry place. Do not open for at least 6 weeks to allow the flavor to develop.

Makes 3 pints