TOMATILLO AVOCADO SALSA

It's tangy, it's bright, it's a spicy, green delight.  With an irresistibly, creamy backside that makes you want to bite, and bite, and bite.

One of the Food network TV shows that I so enjoy watching is The Best Thing I Ever Ate.  A great program highlighting clips of 'famous' chefs/cooks eating out and munching on their favorites. 

As soon as I saw Alton Brown show-and-telling about the Tomatillo-Avocado Salsa at Cosecha Cocina, in Columbus, Ohio, I was instantly hooked. 

I mean, seriously, who doesn't love plunking down, and starting any and every, Mexican meal with chips and salsa?!  And a Margarita, of course.   Same, same, at home, right?

We almost always have a batch of homemade pico de gallo salsa in the fridge, ready for snacking or a nacho feast.  Just the way it is. 

It hasn't been very long since I discovered this new salsa, that Alton touts, but since then I've already made it three times.  As we speak there are fresh tomatillos, cilantro, limes and avocado in the fridge, waiting for me. 

There are a couple of wham-bam-thank-you-ma'am differences between this salsa and the more usual salsa verde.

First of all, half of the tomatillos are roasted 'til the skins get wonderfully charred, the rest of the tomatillos are added, fresh, just as they are.  This sublime combo gives you an unbridled depth of flavour, from the char, that is in potently in cahoots with a fruitiness from the addition of the fresh tomatillos.

Ah but now, throw in a fresh avocado and oh baby, you've just created a creamy backside to this salsa.  Perfectamundo! 

I don't always fry up fresh tortilla chips, when we are munching chips and salsa, but for the debut of this new Tomatillo-Avocado Salsa, I couldn't resist.  I'm so glad I did.  Saludos!

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TOMATILLO AVOCADO SALSA

8 fresh tomatillos, husks removed
3 plump garlic cloves
1 tablespoon olive or avocado oil
1-2 fresh jalapenos, cut in quarters (remove seeds for a less spicy salsa)
1 ripe avocado, cut into chunks
2 teaspoons ground cumin
Generous 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
Juice of 1 plump lime
1 teaspoon sea salt

Preheat oven to 425F.  Cut 4 of the tomatillos in half and place on baking sheet with garlic cloves.  Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive or avocado oil and toss to coat.  Place tomatillos cut-side down.  Roast 20 minutes.  Put broiler on, continue to cook 5-7 minutes more, watching carefully, until those tomatillos are blistered and charred, just right. Set aside to cool.

Place cumin in a heavy, non-stick pan, over medium heat.  Scoot cumin about with a spatula, shaking the pan, for 2-3 minutes until slightly darkened and toasty.  Remove from pan.

Cut the remaining 4 tomatillos in half and add to blender container or food processor along with roasted tomatillos and garlic (and all pan juices), jalapenos, avocado chunks, toasted cumin, cilantro, lime juice and salt.  Buzz, buzz, buzz, until mostly smooth. 

Serve immediately or let laze, for 1-2 hours, for the flavours to mingle and mellow.  Serve with fresh fried tortilla chips, or your favorite dippers.  Will keep in refrigerator 4 days, but it won't last that long!