Mexican Salsa Verde: Green Chile Tomatillo Salsa

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 pound Tomatillos (– husks and stems removed, rinsed & dried (about 9-10 small tomatillos) (SEE NOTES))
• 2 whole Poblano Peppers ((SEE NOTES))
• 1 whole Jalapeno Pepper ((SEE NOTES))
• 1 TBS Vegetable Oil (– plus more for oiling grates)
• 1/2 large White Onion (– peeled & roughly chopped (SEE NOTES))
• 2-3 cloves Garlic (– peeled)
• 1/3 Cup Fresh Cilantro Leaves (– loosely packed, or more to taste)
• 1 1/2 TBS Fresh Lime Juice (or more to taste (SEE NOTES))
• 1-4 tsp Agave or Honey (– OPTIONAL (SEE NOTES))
• 1/2 tsp Cumin
• to taste Kosher Salt & Ground Black Pepper

Instructions

1. 1

   Roast Tomatillos and Chile Peppers: OPTIONAL - Roast Tomatillos and Chile Peppers: Preheat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat (see notes if using oven). Lightly oil the grates to prevent sticking. In a large bowl, toss the tomatillos, poblanos and jalapeno and with oil. Place the vegetables on the hot grill. Grill vegetables, turning often, until the skin is charred and the vegetables are tender, about 8-10 minutes. Remove vegetables from the grill and transfer to a plate. Set aside to allow to cool slightly. (Optional – If you don’t like a strong smoky flavor, use your hands or the back of a paring knife to scrape off some of the charred skin and discard.)

2. 2

   Chop Peppers: Set the tomatillos aside.Cut off the stems off the peppers and discard. Then, cut the peppers in half lengthwise and remove seeds if you want a mild salsa. Next, roughly chop the peppers and add them to the bowl of a food processor.

3. 3

   Blend Salsa Ingredients: To the bowl of the food processor with the green chile peppers, add the onion and garlic. Cover the processor and pulse until the ingredients are roughly chopped (about 10 pulses). Add in the tomatillos and pulse again to roughly chop (about 8-10 pulses). Add in the cilantro, lime juice, agave and cumin. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Pulse again until vegetables are broken down, but salsa is still chunky. Taste and adjust for seasoning with more lime juice, cilantro, salt and pepper if desired. Continue to pulse if a thinner salsa is desired.

4. 4

   Chill Green Salsa: For best results, cover salsa, transfer to the refrigerator, and allow the flavors to marry for at least 30 minutes.

5. 5

   Serve Salsa Verde: Serve green chile tomatillo salsa with chips, drizzle over eggs and proteins, or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.