#tomatillo

This recipe is a variation our Tío Ricardo’s Roasted Tomatillo & Tomato Salsa. The notable difference is our use of two particularly Indian ingredients –  cumin and Kashmiri chili powder – though cumin is arguably just as Mexican as it is Desi. We process our salsa using the water bath method – the recipe will yield about 7 12-ounce jars or 5 1-pint jars of spicy goodness – though you can also, of course, prepare it for immediate consumption.

•    12 dried chipotle chile pods
•    12 dried guajillo chile pods
•    2 cups very hot (but not boiling) water
•    2 lbs husked tomatillos
•    3 lbs heirloom plum tomatoes
•    2 small white onions
•    1 head of garlic, broken into cloves, unpeeled
•    1 ¼ cups white vinegar
•    2 tablespoons Kashmiri chile powder
•    1 tablespoon ground roasted cumin 
•    2 ½ teaspoons sugar
•    1 ¼ teaspoon salt

I begin every recipe involving canning with the same spiel: if you don’t know what you’re doing please check out the website for the National Center for Home Food Preservation (http://nchfp.uga.edu/) first. And no, you don’t HAVE to can your Roasted Tomatillo & Tomato Salsa – just be sure to refrigerate your final product and bear in mind that it will only be good for about 2 weeks. Properly canned salsa will last, unopened, for at least a year.

Soak the Chiles
Remove the stems and seeds from the chipotle and guajillo chile pods. Place the pods in a small glass or other non-reactive bowl and pour the water over them. Place a small plate over the chiles to weigh them down and soak for 10-15 minutes until they become soft. They can stand in the water longer while you prepare the other ingredients.

Broil the Veggies
Work in batches (tomatillos, tomatoes, onion/garlic) to “roast” the vegetables. Add each batch to a tin foil-lined baking sheet so that the vegetables will be aligned with your oven’s heating element. Place the baking sheet under the broiler. Have kitchen tongs at the ready to flip the vegetables to ensure even broiling. Each batch will take about 15 minutes…

•    Tomatillos & Tomatoes: broil until skin is mostly black and fruits have cracked open
•    Onion & Garlic: broil until black in spots

Prepare the Veggies
A lot of people like to prepare roasted vegetables by placing them in a paper bag to loosen the skin. I think this is messy and ineffective. Instead, immediately after broiling place the broiled tomatillos and tomatoes in a pot and cover with a lid. Let stand until cool enough to handle. Remove as much skin as possible, reserving the “guts” and juice.

Separately, roughly chop the onion. Remove the scorched garlic skins.

¡Combínelos!

A: Transfer the chiles and their soaking water, tomatillo & tomato “guts” and juice, onions, garlic, and vinegar to a large heavy-bottomed pot. Run an immersion blender through the pot until puréed. I think this salsa (Ricardo did, too) is best rather smooth but you can choose your own adventure.

Or

B: Working in batches add ingredients to a blender or food processor and transfer puréed batches to a large heavy-bottomed pan. Tip: Use the vinegar to help blend the onions and garlic.

Next, stir in the cumin, Kashmiri chili powder, salt and sugar.

Marry the Flavors
Once the ingredients have been puréed and mixed together it is ready to eat. However, if you are canning you need to cook the salsa. Even if you’re not, cooking will marry the flavors and improve (i.e., thicken) the texture. Simply bring the salsa to a boil over high heat then reduce the heat and cook just below a boil for 20 minutes.

Process the Salsa
Fill 12-ounce or pint canning jars with salsa and process in a water bath canner for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and wait 5 minutes before removing the jars from the canner. Let stand another week or so before enjoying as the flavor will continue to improve.

8/15/21 ~ Couple of lil Purple Tomatillos