Salsa Verde

I wanted to post this before tomatillos go completely out of season. I got this recipe from a friend of mine whose mom is from Mexico. It is simple, delicious, and way better than any salsa you get from a jar. I have made 3 batches this season, and hoping I can get one or two more batches out before the season is over.

This recipe freezes well. I freeze it in ice cube trays, and take out however many cubes I need at the time. I also can this recipe, for chips and salsa, whenever friends come over. I'll include canning instruction as well as the freezing instructions, so you can do which ever you prefer.

This recipe can easily be adjusted to however many tomatillos you have. The ratio my friend gave me is 6-8 tomatillos to 1 jalapeno for moderately spicy salsa. If you want it less spicy do 1 jalapeno to 12 tomatillos; more spicy 2 jalapeno to 6-8 tomatillos. It’s a very flexible recipe.

Salsa Verde

12-16 tomatillos

2 jalapenos with stem removed

3 cloves crushed garlic

1 small onion peeled and quartered

1 handful of cilantro leaves

Thoroughly wash the tomatillos; the sticky layer needs to be gentle scrubbed off. Then throw them in a saucepan with the jalapenos, garlic, and onion. Put enough water in to just cover the bottom of the pan (approximately 1/2 cup). This is only to prevent the tomatillos from sticking to the pan. Cook on low heat, until the tomatillos soften and start to turn a slightly darker green. This should only be about 5 minutes. If the water evaporates you can add a little more, but you don’t want to boil them so don’t add too much. Once the tomatillos are soft, pour all the vegetables into a blender add the cilantro, and blend. As always, be super careful when blending hot objects, you could also use your immersion blender if you have one. 

Now you could pour this right over enchiladas, or stuffed poblano peppers while it’s hot or you could can it. If you want to freeze it, allow the salsa to completely cool, and then pour into the ice cube tray. Once frozen remove and place in a labeled Ziploc bag. 

To can:

Boil water in a pot large enough to fit the mason jars and lids without over crowding. Once the water is boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer and submerge the jars and lids so they can be sterilized, leave them in until your ready to use them. When ready to fill the jars, remove from the water and place on a cooling rack. Using a funnel, ladle the hot salsa into the hot jars. leave 1/2 inch head-space. Remove air bubbles. Wipe the rim and sides of the jars. Place the lids on the center on the jar. Apply the band and adjust until the fit is finger tight. Place the filled jars into a pot of boiling water for 20 minutes, adjusting for altitude. remove jars and cool. You'll hear popping sounds as they cool and the lids vacuum seals. Check the lids for seal after 24 hours. The lids should not move up or down when you press the center. If any of the jars do not seal, place them in the fridge and use with in the week. If they did seal properly the can be stored for up to 1 year.