Guacamole Salsa (Taqueria Salsa)

Tip: Read directions completely before preparing.

Ingredients:

3 large, tomatillos, husked, rinsed, and coarsely chopped

1 teaspoon, baking soda

1 small bunch, fresh cilantro, bottom of bunch cut off, thoroughly rinsed

2 garlic cloves, peeled

1/2 small, white onion, chopped coarsely

1 fresh Serrano or jalapeño chile, sliced in half, seeds removed

½ freshly squeezed lime juice

1/4 cup, chicken broth

1 teaspoon, sea salt

2 large, ripe Mexican Hass avocado, halved and pitted

Directions:

Put the tomatillos into the small pot filled with about 3 cups of water, add baking soda. Simmer for 5 minutes, until soft.

Drain and remove tomatillos. Set aside and let cool.

Once the tomatillos have cooled add them to blender. Then add the cilantro, garlic, onion, chile, lime juice, chicken broth and salt.

Blend until very smooth. Scoop the avocado flesh with a spoon into the blender jar and blend until smooth. Add if necessary a little more chicken broth to have a pourable consistency.

If necessary, depending on your taste, you can further season with additional line juice, salt and jalapeño chilies for a spicier salsa, then blend once more. Enjoy!

Servings: Approximately 2 cups

Tip: The salsa will taste best the day it's made, but the acidity from the tomatillos will keep it from discoloring as quickly as most guacamole. Delicious the next day if you store it in the refrigerator in an air tight container. Let it come to room temperature before you stir then serve it.

Salsa Verde (Tomatillo Salsa)

Tip: Read directions completely before preparing.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds, tomatillos

2 large, Jalapeño peppers

3 cloves, garlic, peeled

1 small sweet onion, quartered

1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

½ cup water

2 teaspoons sea salt

½ teaspoon, toasted fresh ground comino seeds

½ teaspoon, toasted peppercorns

Directions:

Remove the husks from the tomatillos; discard husks. Rinse tomatillos well to remove all the sticky sap. Cut them in half. Peel the garlic. Cut the stemmed tops off the jalapeno peppers then split them in half and, using a spoon, scrape away the seeds and veins. If you like the heat, leave the veins and seeds. Set aside.

Toast the peppercorns and comino seeds in a skillet over medium high heat.  Being careful not to burn the comino. About 1 minute, stirring. Remove from pan and let cool. Then ground them in a mortar and pestle. Add to blender with 1/2 cup of water.

Lightly grease a griddle or cast iron skillet, rubbing excess off with a paper towel. Place on medium heat.

When it's hot, place the tomatillos, peppers, garlic and onions on the hot surface. Allow to blister, turning them over with tongs to soften and slightly blister as much surface as possible.

The peppers, onions and garlic will soften and blister the fastest. After about 5 minutes, remove the onions, garlic and peppers to the blender.

Continue roasting the tomatillos for another 5 to 8 minutes, and the tomatillos are a slightly softened. Then add to blender. Add the cilantro.

Allow to cool a few minutes then place the blender lid on loosely, holding it in place with a kitchen towel and purée until just slightly smooth depending on personal preference.

Place in salsa in an airtight glass jar and store in the refrigerator for up to a one week. Enjoy!

Servings: 4 /12 cups

Tip:  Prepare the salsa as described then add a mashed avocado to ½ cup of salsa for a creamy avocado salsa!  Or add to a pan with butter and shrimp! There are many ways to use your Salsa Verde in recipes!

Jalapeño Salsa

Tip:  Read directions completely before preparing.

Ingredients:

2 lbs., jalapeño peppers

13 gloves, garlic, peeled

1 medium, yellow onion, peeled and quartered

3 teaspoons, sea salt

¼ teaspoon, white pepper

5 cups, water

Directions:

If you are sensitive to the heat of jalapenos, I recommend wearing gloves; it will keep your hands from burning. On the same note, be sure not to touch your eyes! If the peppers do burn a part of your body use a milk product, not water, to cool down the burn.

Rinse off all the jalapenos. Cut the stem end off, and then cut the jalapenos lengthwise. Remove the seeds of the jalapenos.  Depending on how hot YOU prefer your salsa, you can leave s0me with seeds.  Its heat can be mild or pack some serous heat!  The more seeds the hotter.  Even removing all the seeds leaves a nice heat that I particularly can enjoy.  It may be to overbearing if too spicy and not enjoyable to some.  Set aside.

Peel your garlic and onion and quarter the onion.

In a large pot add all the prepared ingredients, jalapenos, garlic, and onions.  Add the salt, pepper and 5 cups water.

Over high heat bring to a boil, and then lower heat to medium.  Let simmer for 45 minutes. If possible it may be preferable to boil outside.  The aroma can be overbearing. I used a New Wave portable stove and cooked them on my patio. If not, you may want to open your windows... 

Once done simmering, pour all into a blender and pulse until smooth!  Or if you have a hand emersion blender, blend in the pot.  Once cool place in mason jars and refrigerate!  Enjoy!

Over Eggs!!

Quantity:  Approximately 30 oz. Salsa

Tip: This salsa can be drizzled over eggs, tacos, steaks, or pork chops!  Used in cooking recipes to add that extra punch!  Used as a marinade, or just eaten with tortilla chips!