You pretty much have to make the stuff from scratch if you're going to want something that doesn't taste like a bland, watery version of the green slime that traumatized Alanis Morisette's childhood. Fortunately, making salsas is about as difficult as watching You Can't Do That on Television.
Prep time: about 15 mins.
Cooking time: about 1 hours.
Est. servings: about 24.
Today's Specimen
Ingredients
- 4 tomatillos, husked
- 2 medium Annaheim peppers
- ½ yellow onion (about 1 cup)
- 1 tbsp. garlic
- ⅔ cup cilantro
- ½ tsp. salt
- Juice of 1 lime (about 1 tbsp.)
- 1½ cups water
Directions
- Combine all of the ingredients in a food processor and process until everything is pureed together nicely.
- Transfer to a medium covered pot and simmer for half an hour on medium-low, then uncover and reduce the heat to the lowest setting above warming. Stir periodically and add water by the tablespoon as needed.
Next Time in the Lab
A little heat is called for, but what I really think this salsa needs is a cilantro reduction — I sometimes forget how easy it can be to overpower a dish with that stuff.
- Add 1 medium serrano pepper.
- Change the onion to a white one and increase the amount used to ⅔ cup.
- Reduce the cilantro to ½ cup.
- Add ½ tsp. oregano.
- Add ¼ tsp. cumin.
- Add 1 dash (1/16 tsp.) nutmeg.
- Decrease the salt to ¼ tsp.
