SALSA VERDE

Ok everyone! sorry it has taken me this long but I had to get use to my schedule and get myself back on track. The weather changing has definately helped too! Yeah! for nice long sunny days!! ok well this week I will show you how to make green salsa. You can use this for Chili Verde with fried pork cut up into cubes, beef or chicken tacos, sopes, tostadas, and it's very good just on tortilla chips.
I kept track this time of how much I put in to give you a better idea and a way to measure but in the end you can adjust anything to more or less of things you like or dislike. I tend to put alot of cilantro because I like the flavor. Not everyone like the strong pungent taste or smell but most of these foods will have a little in it.

Here is a list of what you need
2 lbs of tomatillos (remember to check under the skins of them when your shopping so you don't pay for rotten ones)
1 large red Roma tomatoe
1 small white onion
1 bunch of cilantro
2 or 3 jalapeños (more if you like it hotter)
Salt - to taste

Start by peeling all the skins off of the tomatillos and washing them very good with warm water. They will have a sticky layer on them that you will be able to feel on your hands so wash your hands with good warm soapy water after your done. Take all the tomatillos, chilis and Roma tomato and put them into a large pot. The cilantro and onion will be added to them later, do not add to the pot. Fill with warm water until there is enough to cover everything and bring to a boil on the stove.

Once boiling let them boil for about 10 minutes or
so until the tomatillos begin to turn a light yellowish green shade and just start to fall apart.








When they are at this stage pull the pot off and pour out all the water leaving about 1 cup or so in the bottom of the pot. Try not to pour out the tomato floating around if you can help it. When your done draining pour it into your blender and cut your onion up into quarters and add. I took a pic of the onion I used in my hand to give you an idea. You can use more or less as you like but you don't want so much that it takes over the flavor of everything else.

I have big hands compared to most women so I would say this onion is about the same size as a bulb of garlic. I also like white onions better than yellow for cooking foods. I think it has a better flavor and lasts better through the cooking process. Just a personal choice, you can use yellow if you like and just use a small one or about 1/3 of a large onion.





Take your cilantro and while it is still banded together run cold water over it and wash it VERY good. There is lots of dirt on cilantro and you don't want that gritty taste in your salsa. Leaving it banded together still start pulling out stems of cilantro and pulling the leaves off and adding them to your blender. 



I do not like to use the stalks of the cilantro because they are bitter to me but lots of people do. I prefer to pick off the leaves using about 1/2 cup of cilantro or a little more if you like the flavor of it. Less if you don't want it as strong. It's better to add a little at a time and taste it to make sure you don't make it to strong.

 Cilantro is an acquired taste and you either like it or you don't. It does taste different in the salsa compared to raw cilantro on tacos.

After you have everything in the blender put your lid on, if you have the center that comes out it is a good idea to remove it and start your blender very slowly. Due to the heat it expands and you will experience great pressure and salsa will splatter all over if you hold the lid down and start high. I will generally remove center and put a dish rag over to catch anything that flies out. Now the next step is blending it to a consistency that you like. Salsa (before blenders) was made in a molcajete by hand. This left a choppier salsa with larger pieces, I like to blend mine up very smooth so I don't get large chunks of onion taste or cilantro stuck in my teeth! LOL again it's up to your taste.

Here is a picture of salsa blended on chop for just a few seconds.
And this below is how I like mine. I start slow and then speed the blender up for the last 10 to 15 seconds to finish it.

Your Salsa is now ready to serve, well you do need to taste it and add salt to your liking. You will be surprised at how much salt it takes to flavor it! If you pour into a plastic container that's air tight and keep it in the fridge it will last for up to a week. Just scoop out what you need and warm up in the microwave for a few seconds and add to your food. You can also cube up pork steaks or chicken, fry until crispy in a little oil, drain and pour salsa over the meat and cook until tender. This is good with warm corn tortillas and beans and rice. Enjoy!!