Tomatoes are expensive and often times they can fall short on texture and flavor. Here’s a great alternative to the traditional pico de gallo (tomato based salsa) that comes loaded with all kinds of star power health benefits and will set you apart (for good reasons) at a BBQ, pot luck or picnic. In my house, we love “quesaritos”, the love child of the quesadilla and burrito…see last pic for details.
Homemade Salsa Verde - Your New Summer Favorite
This (ridiculously) simple, 5 ingredient salsa verde is versatile, fast, low fuss and full of nutrition. Make a batch and slather over grilled fish, rice and beans, chili, tacos, burritos, quesadillas. It tops cold soups, veggie hot dogs and loads up nachos beautifully. Not to mention, it goes hand in glove with corn chips and cuddles well with avocados.
But first: The Tomatillo - What is it?
Like tomatoes, tomatillos are in the nightshade family (for those of you would wish to avoid nightshade, here’s your opportunity to pass on this recipe).
Good-Food IQ “Cape gooseberry and tomatillo are in the same plant genus. Cape gooseberry (Physalis peruviana), also known as ground cherry, produces small, sweet fruit inside papery husks. Tomatillo (Physalis ixocarpa), also called husk tomato, produces similar but larger fruit that is a staple in Mexican cooking.” (SFGate / homeguides). Tomatillos are a little tart, come in a slightly sticky papery husk, can be eaten raw or cooked and are an excellent source of vitamin A, C, fiber, potassium and an interesting antioxidant compound called “withanolides.” To date, studies have shown that withanolides contain anti-cancer properties and neutralize the growth of cancer cells. (FEBS Journal, November 2006). What’s not to love!
Where to find it: The tomatillo is usually stocked near the tomatoes in your grocer’s produce section.
This recipe, ever so slightly adapted to include a yellow onion option, is from Pati Jinich’s, Mexican Table. (LOVE HER!)
Quick Roasted Salsa Verde
(Preheat broiler with rack 6” from the heat)
Ingredients:
About 1 lb. of tomatillos (look for unblemished husks, small, medium or larger are all ok, you want to choose firm but not rock hard tomatillos, if you choose over ripe, very soft tomatillos, you’ll miss out on flavor)
1” thick center cut slice of either a white or yellow medium onion (or 2 slices from the end of your onion)
½ cup cilantro leaves (washed and rough chopped, save the stems for soup)
1 serrano or jalepeno chili (cut off end, leave whole)
1 clove garlic (unpeeled)
Salt to taste (start w 1/4 tsp and see how you go)
Method:
Remove paper husk from tomatillos
Rinse tomatillos under cold water to remove sticky film and any dirt that may have been trapped under husk, pat dry
Spread in single layer onto baking sheet (can cut any bigger tomatillos in half), add chili, onion and garlic
Roast for 8-11 minutes, turning half way thru cooking time (you can turn the baking sheet, the veg or both).
Remove from oven and cool.
Peel garlic clove, rough chop onion, de-seed chili (all or partially) if you want a milder salsa
Add tomatillos, garlic, onion, chili, cilantro and salt to blender
Blend till chunky, med. smooth or smooth – depending on your preference.
Taste for seasoning
Makes about 2 cups. Will hold in frig in airtight container for a good week (or 10 days). Because of the water content of the tomatillos, this salsa doesn’t freeze well.
How to make a quesarito
To make a quesarito, heat broiler, put rack in upper third of oven. Use a large tortilla and top with dairy or non dairy cheese of your choosing, throw on a few diced onions and broil on sheet pan till cheese melts (about 3 minutes…so, don’t go far). Remove from oven, add other ingredients along the bottom 1/3 of the tortilla, roll up, cut in half lengthwise and revel in the goodness. It’s soft on the outside of the tortilla (burrito style) and crispy on the inside (quesadilla style). Pictured here: a vegan cheese, yellow rice and black bean beauty with non dairy sour “cream” avocado, some red mini peppers, olives and a lots of salsa verde.
