ROASTED SALSA VERDE

An addictively bracing green salsa that vibrates with the deep char goodness that comes from roasting the tangy tomatillos, fiery jalapenos and serranos, sweet onions and mildly smoky poblanos.  Olé!

It's just about Spring. Zip-a-dee-doo-dah-zip-a-dee-ay!

With this delightful announcement comes an impossible-to-resist prerequisite to raise our needy little faces to the warming sunshine, to briefly bask, as we effortlessly feel easy gratitude for renewal. 

My forest yard is coming alive.  It's a squirrel-scurrying, deer munching, bird twittering festival out there. 

Now that the snow and chilly willies are gone, and fingers of sunlight and warm breezes play about, it seems Mother Nature herself, is smiling upon us.  The trees eagerly sway to a song known only to them. Thriving leaf and flower buds arrive daily on some vine here, or some bush there, new green shoots are pushing up from the forest floor and tender soft new needles are popping out at the tip tops and very ends of branches on the fir trees.

Green, glorious green, is the order of the day.  Verde, baby!

So when I saw plump, firm tomatillos and shiny, fresh poblanos in the supermarket, I knew exactly what I was going to make.  And I'm so glad I did.

Whether you just want a crispy tortilla chip and salsa fix, or you've got tacos or quesadillas in mind, this salsa rocks.  Yup, it does!   It's almost fantastico.

Whatever your oh-wouldn't-that-be-perfect-with-salsa cravings are at the moment, I daresay I've got the remedy for you.  And, bonus, it's all happy and green and vibrant, just like Spring. 

First of all, get your hot little hands on some fresh tomatillos, poblanos and serranos...

 

Peel, chop, roast. El yumo!

 

Throw into a food processor with some cilantro, lime and salt. Buzz, buzz.  Arriba!  Arriba!

 

Más por favor!!  More, please!!!

 

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Thanks to Buns in My Oven Food Blog for inspiration for this recipe

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

 

ROCKIN' ROASTED SALSA VERDE

If you want a kicky hot salsa, you know, hot-baby-hot, just add more jalapenos or serranos.  But of course, it always depends on the heat of each and every pepper, as they vary widely.  This is the usual combination of peppers that I use, which makes a hot salsa, but not HOT salsa

2 pounds tomatillos
1 nice large, firm, dark green poblano pepper
1 jalapeno
2 serrano peppers
1/2 large sweet onion
1/3 cup fresh cilantro
Juice of 1 plump, juicy lime
1 teaspoon sea salt

Heat your broiler on high.

Remove the husks from the tomatillos and rinse off any sticky residue from the skins.  Slice the tomatillos in half and place on large baking sheet, cut side up.

Slice jalapenos and serranos in half, lengthwise.  Remove seeds and membranes from the inside of the peppers for a milder salsa.  Leave seeds and membranes intact for a hotter salsa.  I always leave my peppers intact.  Place pepper halves on the baking sheet with tomatillos.

Place the whole poblano on the baking sheet.

Cut the onion, into large chunks and scatter over baking sheet.

Broil for 10-20 minutes or until charred. (I almost always broil for 19 minutes to get the 'right' char.)  Place the poblano pepper in a plastic or paper bag and seal.  Let sit for 10 minutes to steam.  Remove from bag carefully and peel the skin from the pepper.

Add the tomatillos, jalapeno, serranos, poblano, onion, cilantro, lime juice and salt to a food processor or blender and buzz, buzz, until smooth.

Cool before serving, if you can wait that long.  We never can!

Store covered in fridge for up to 1 week.