Salsa Verde
Why I Love This Recipe
This salsa goes along with the Chicken Enchiladas recipe I've posted as well. It's great in that, but it's also good all on its own with chips or nachos, etc...
Ingredients You'll Need
3 lbs tomatillos, husked, rinsed
2 large jalapeno chiles, stems removed
5 small garlic cloves, peeled
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 1/2 bunches fresh cilantro, thick bottom stems trimmed
3/4 cup loosely packed fresh Italian parsley leaves
1 1/2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 1/2 tsp salt
Directions
Mix first 2 ingredients in large saucepan. Cover with water. Bring to boil. Reduce heat; simmer until soft, about fifteen minutes. Remove from heat; let stand fifteen minutes. Drain.
Coarsely chop tomatillo mixture, garlic, and cumin in processor using on/off turns. Add next three ingredients; blend until herbs are chopped and salsa is chunky.
Heat oil in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add salsa and simmer until slightly thickened and reduced to 4 cups, about 10 minutes. Stir in salt.
The tomatillos are a nice alternative to tomatoes, I think. They're a little more tart and acidic than tomatoes, but they also have some nice citrusy flavor to them. Definitely make sure to rinse them after you remove the husk, since they'll be pretty sticky and you don't want that in your salsa.
The last step might seem like overkill, but heating the salsa is important. You want to A) drive out some of the moisture that's in it so it thickens up and B) marry the flavors. Just don't let it cook for too long, or those flavors will start to taste muted.
This is one of those recipes where you can make it a few days beforehand. As long as it's been cooled, sealed in a jar and kept in the fridge, it'll last for a while.
