Memorial Day Tomatillo Salsa
Tomatillo Salsa and chips! GF Memorial Day fare...
Here is to all the veterans and those who are currently called to protect our country on this Memorial Day. We are forever grateful for your service and your sacrifice, without your dedication we would have no freedom. I think of a friend of my husbands every year on the Memorial Day weekend who gave up the comfort of his family to fly Apache helicopters for the Army early on in this most recent conflict overseas. It was such a sacrifice he made to be away… not only the danger of his missions, but the longing for his wife, children, family and friends so far away. I am sure he remembers those days vividly now that he is back in civilian life. Simply, Thank you!
Every year, our family gathers around the table to honor those who have fought for our country. We usually grill up some really great food and enjoy the company of good friends. There is always juicy, ripe watermelon and ice cream bars for dessert. Though dishes may change from year to year, there is one thing we can never be without at the feast… salsa! My husband has been perfecting his Tomatillo Salsa recipe lately. Today, he came up with a version he really loves. Now, you have to know that he prefers his salsa with a kick… as in spicy! I, on the other hand, am a traditional tomato, onion, cilantro, salt and lime sorta girl. So, if you are that kind of salsa lover, this recipe is very different. Naturally, all these vegetables are gluten free, so just be concerned with the type of chip you are dipping with for allergen free and gluten free fare. Tomatillos impart a tart, lime flavor to the sauce. Grilling the vegetables to barely soften them gives the smokey flavor one is looking for in a tomatillo salsa. Please feel free to vary the amount of jalapenos to your liking. This version has quite a lot of heat with three jalapenos!
Tomatillo Salsa
Ingredients:
- 6 tomatillos, whole with husks and stems removed
- 3 jalapenos, whole
- 3 large cloves garlic with skins on
- 1/2 small red onion, papery outer skin removed
- Juice of 1 lime
- 2 roma tomatoes, cut in quarters
- cilantro, freshly chopped to equal about 3 Tbls (or 1 Tbls dried cilantro)
- 3-5 generous pinches of salt (basically salt to taste)
Method:
- Setup your food processor (could also be done in a blender) with the chopping blade and wash all your vegetables. Heat up a grill to high heat (you can also do this on a gas stove top).
- Place the tomatillos, jalapenos, garlic cloves and red onion half into a metal grilling basket. Set the grilling basket onto a hot grill or over the flame of a gas stove burner. You will need to watch over the vegetables and turn them with tongs frequently. As they begin to cook, their skins will blacken. Just keep turning them until they begin to soften a bit and the skins blister. They may pop a bit or catch fire. Just be careful not to completely char them so you will need to stay by the grill or stove for this step to keep flames to a minimum.
- Once the grilled vegetables are finished, remove them to a plate to cool. When cool enough to handle, coarsely chop the tomatillos and place them into the food processor. You may remove some of the char if you prefer or if they got excessively black; however, my husband left the char in tact so that it would add a smokey flavor to the salsa sauce. Remove the stems from the jalapenos (leave seeds in for a spicy kick or remove the seeds to lower the heat factor) and the skins from the garlic and add this to the blender as well with the red onion. Put the lid on the processor and process with short pulses until all vegetables are well chopped.
- Add the quartered tomatoes, lime juice, cilantro and 3 generous pinches of salt to the processor. Put the lid on and process again until well chopped and the salsa begins to take on a saucy consistency.
- Taste and adjust for seasonings. You may want more salt depending on the tartness of your tomatillos.
Enjoy with your favorite tortilla chips! Currently, I am loving the Beanitos brand of tortilla chips… free of corn and gluten! My husband enjoys the El Milagro brand of tortilla chips as well as Trader Joes Quinoa and Black Bean infused Tortilla Chips (these are gluten free but not corn free).
Have a great Memorial Day!
