TOMATILLO SALSA VERDE   elise.com

1 1/2 lb tomatillos
1/2 cup chopped white onion
1/2 cup cilantro leaves
1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon sugar
2 Jalapeño peppers, stemmed, seeded and chopped
Salt to taste

1. Remove papery husks from tomatillos and rinse well. Cut in half and place cut side down on a foil-lined baking sheet. Place under a broiler for about 5-7 minutes to lightly blacken the skin.
2. Place tomatillos, lime juice, onions, cilantro, Jalapeño peppers, sugar in a food processor (or blender) and pulse until all ingredients are finely chopped and mixed. Season to taste with salt. Cool in refrigerator.
Serve with chips or as a salsa accompaniment to Mexican dishes. Makes 3 cups.

PORK AND GREEN CHILE STEW   Southern U.S. Cuisine, Diane Rattray

2 lbs pork stew meat, or lean pork, cut into 1” cubes
¼ cup flour
1 tsp cumin
¼ tsp pepper
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground sage
3 Tbsp oil
3 Tbsp vinegar
2 onions, coarsely chopped
2 lbs potatoes, cubed into 1” pieces
2-3 Anaheim chiles, diced or 1 4 oz can green chiles
2 cups tomatillo salsa (salsa verde)
1 15oz can chicken broth
1 tsp brown sugar

Place flour, cumin, pepper, salt & sage in a plastic storage bag; add pork cubes & shake to coat thoroughly. Brown pork in hot oil in batches; remove when browned and set aside. With heat still on, add vinegar to the skillet, scraping up brown bits (vinegar will reduce). Place onions, chiles, potatoes, salsa, chicken broth, brown sugar & pork, and bits from skillet into a 5 quart crockpot & cook, covered, on low 8-12 hours, or on high 4-6 hours. You can mash a few of the potatoes at the end to thicken the dish. Serve with fresh cornbread. Serves 6.

 

SALSA VERDE ENCHILADAS adapted from Good Housekeeping Magazine

1 Rotisserie chicken
1 cup salsa verde
3 scallions, thinly sliced
1/8 cup fresh lime juice (from 1-2 limes)
1/4 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves, chopped
8 corn tortillas
4 oz. reduced fat sour cream
1/4 cup chicken broth
4 oz. shredded jalapeno jack or Mexican blend cheese

Remove meat from chicken, and coarsely shred; place in medium bowl. Discard skin & bones. Stir 1/4 cup salsa verde into chicken to coat evenly. Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a 9x13" glass or ceramic baking dish, and set aside. In a 10" skillet, heat remaining salsa verde, scallions, and lime juice to boiling on medium high heat. Boil for 2 minutes, stirring occaisionally. Stir in 2 Tbsp. cilantro, and keep warm over very low heat. With tongs, place 1 tortilla into salsa verde mixture; heat 10 seconds. Place tortilla on wax paper; top with about 1/3 cup shredded chicken micture. Roll tortilla up & place seam side down in prepared baking dish. Repeat with remaining tortillas. Stir sour cream & broth into remaining salsa verde mixture in skillet; spoon over filled tortillas. Cover baking dish with foil and bake 15 minutes. Remove foil; sprinkle with shredded cheese & remaining cilantro. Bake 5 minutes longer or until cheese melts. Serve hot.
 

TOMATILLO SALSA   greatsalsa.com

1/2 lb. tomatillos
2 tablespoons chopped onion
1 jalapeno or serrano chile pepper, chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tablespoon. lime juice
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 teaspoon. salt
Peel husk from tomatillos; rinse.

In medium saucepan, cook tomatillos in small amount of boiling water. Reduce heat to medium; cook 8 to 10 minutes or until soft. Drain. Place cooked tomatillos in blender container or food processor bowl with metal blade; process with on-off pulses just until smooth. Just before serving, in medium bowl combine tomatillos with remaining ingredients. Serve with tacos, grilled chicken or tortilla chips. Makes about 1 cup.  

avocado and tomatillo dip Gourmet | August 1999
Makes about 3 1/2 cups

3/4 pound fresh tomatillos
4 large garlic cloves
3 California avocados
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro sprigs
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, or to taste
4 tablespoons finely chopped red onion

Remove husks and rinse tomatillos under warm water to remove stickiness. Heat a well-seasoned cast-iron skillet or griddle over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and lightly brown tomatillos and garlic in spots all over (do not let burn). Transfer tomatillos and garlic to a plate and cool them to room temperature.
In a food processor purée tomatillos and garlic until smooth. Halve and pit avocados and scoop into tomatillo mixture. Pulse until coarsely chopped. Stir in cilantro, lime juice, 3 tablespoons onion, and salt and pepper to taste. Garnish dip with remaining tablespoon chopped onion and serve with tortilla chips

 

TOMATILLO RELISH   wholefoodsmarket.com
(Dairy-Free, Vegan) Serves 8. Makes 4 1/2 cups.

1 pound tomatillos, husked, washed and chopped
1 pound Roma tomatoes, cored, seeded and chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 cup olive oil
1/3 cup white vinegar
1 bunch cilantro, leaves only, chopped
1/4 cup sugar
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeño chile, stemmed, seeded and diced
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded and chopped
2 teaspoons sea salt, or to taste
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste

Combine all ingredients in a pot. Cover and simmer about 1 hour. Set aside and cool to room temperature. Tomatillo relish can be stored in the refrigerator up to a week.

 

CAFE RIO CREAMY TOMATILLO DRESSING kitchenlink.com
(copy cat recipe)
3 large tomatillos
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup packed fresh cilantro leaves
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1 envelope buttermilk ranch dressing mix
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tbsp fresh lime juice

Remove husks from tomatillos, wash, quarter and broil until soft--about 7 minutes.
Combine everything in blender until smooth. Chill for at least one hour for flavors to blend.

 

JOCÓN   whats4eats.com
Guatemalan chicken in tomatillo-cilantro sauce

Jocón or pollo en jocón is a dish popular with the Mayan population of Guatemala. Chicken is simmered in a tasty sauce tinted a beautiful green by tomatillos and cilantro and thickened with ground sesame and pumpkin seeds and corn tortillas. 4-6 servings

Chicken, cut into serving pieces -- 2 1/2 to 3 pounds
Water -- 4 cups
Salt -- 2 teaspoons
Pumpkin seeds (pepitas) -- 1/4 cup
Sesame seeds -- 1/4 cup
Corn tortillas, chopped, soaked in water, drained -- 2
Tomatillos, hulled and chopped -- 1 cup
Cilantro, chopped -- 1 bunch
Scallions, chopped -- 1 bunch
Jalapeño or serrano chile pepper, chopped -- from 1 to 5

Place the chicken, water and salt into a large pot over medium-high flame. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Remove the chicken to a bowl and strain and set aside the broth. Let chicken cool, then remove the meat from the bones and shred it with your fingers. Set aside.
Heat a dry skillet over medium flame. Add the pumpkin and sesame seeds and toast, stirring, until lightly browned. Remove to a coffee grinder and grind to a fine powder.
Add the sesame and pumpkin seeds, tortillas, tomatillos, cilantro, scallions and chile peppers to a food processor or blender. Add 1 cup of the reserved broth and process until smooth. If using a blender you may have to do this step in batches.
Return the chicken to the pot. Pour over pureed sauce and add 1 to 1 1/2 cups of the remaining broth to give it a sauce-like consistency.
Heat over medium-low flame and simmer for an additional 15-25 minutes. Adjust seasoning and serve.

Variations
Leave the chicken pieces whole if you prefer.
If you can't find pumpkin seeds, simply use 1/2 cup of sesame seeds. And if finding sesame seeds is a problem, you can substitute a slightly smaller amount of tahini.
Cubed pork can be substituted for the chicken. There is no need to shred the pork, but you may need to simmer it longer for it to become tender.
Use any remaining broth to make rice to accompany the meal.

 

TOMATILLO CHICKEN TACOS   thatsmyhome.com

8 ounces (5-6 medium) tomatillos, husked and rinsed (see cook's notes)
2 fresh serrano chilies, or to taste, stemmed
1 1/2 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil, divided use
1/2 medium white onion, roughly chopped
1 garlic clove, peeled and roughly chopped
1 cup chicken broth
3 tablespoons roughly chopped cilantro
Salt, 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon, depending on saltiness of broth
12 warm corn tortillas (plus a few extra, in case some break)
2 cups firmly packed sliced chard or spinach (all pieces should be about 1/2 inch wide and 2 inches long)
1 1/3 cups coarsely shredded cooked chicken
1/2 to 3/4 cup crumbled Mexican queso fresco
1. Roast tomatillos and chilies on baking sheet 4 inches below a very hot broiler until blackened and soft on one side, about 5-6 minutes, then turn over and roast on other side, 3-4 minutes. Transfer (including all juices) to a food processor fitted with the metal blade or to a blender.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until deep golden, about 8 minutes. Stir in garlic, cook 1 minute, then scrape into food processor or blender. Process to medium-coarse puree.
3. Heat 1/2 tablespoon oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Add puree and stir for about 5 minutes, until noticeably darker and thick. Stir in broth, partially cover and simmer over medium-low heat for 10 minutes. The sauce will be a little soupy. Stir in cilantro and generously season with salt.
4. Bring sauce to a boil and add greens. When the mixture returns to a boil, stir in chicken and simmer until greens are done. Taste and season with additional salt, if needed.
5. Guests will spoon a portion of filling into warm tortilla, sprinkle on cheese and fold it over. As with all these tacos, fold and eat immediately.

Advance preparation: The Tomatillo-Serrano Sauce (the procedure through step 3) can be prepared several days in advance and stored in the refrigerator, covered. Reheat and finish as directed.

Yield: About 3 cups of filling, enough for about 12 tacos

Cook's note: Tomatillos look like small green tomatoes covered with a thin, parchment-like covering. The flavor has hints of lemon, apple and herbs.

 

NEW RECIPES FOR 2009

 

Green Enchilada Sauce   Nourishing Traditions, Sally Fallon
Yield: 3 cups

2 onions, chopped
8 fresh tomatillos, husked, rinsed & finely chopped
3 medium green Anaheim chiles, seeded (if desired) and chopped
2 small jalapenos, seeded (if desired) and chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled & chopped
3 Tbsp. Extra virgin olive oil
1 ¾ cups chicken broth
pinch of sea salt
1 bunch cilantro, chopped

In a heavy skillet, sauté onions in oil. Add tomatillos & chopped chiles, and sauté gently for several minutes. Ass stock, garlic & salt & bring to a boil. Simmer approx. 30 minutes, uncovered, till sauce has reduced & thickened. Remove from heat & stir in cilantro. Process in batches in food processor.  

 

POTATO AND BEAN ENCHILADAS   allrecipes.com
"A great vegetarian main dish that can be spiced up with the addition of jalapenos to either or both sauce and filling."
12 servings

1 pound potatoes, peeled and diced
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon ketchup
1 pound fresh tomatillos, husks removed
1 large onion, chopped
1 bunch fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped, divided
2 (12 ounce) packages corn tortilla
1 (15.5 ounce) can pinto beans, drained
1 (12 ounce) package queso fresco
oil for frying

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a bowl, toss diced potatoes together with cumin, chili powder, salt, and ketchup, and place in an oiled baking dish. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until tender. Meanwhile, boil tomatillos and chopped onion in water to cover for 10 minutes. Set aside to cool. Once cooled, puree with half of the cilantro until smooth. Fry tortillas individually in a small amount of hot oil until soft. Mix potatoes together with pinto beans, 1/2 cheese, and 1/2 cilantro. Fill tortillas with potato mixture, and roll up. Place seam side down in an oiled 9x13 inch baking dish. Spoon tomatillo sauce over enchiladas, and spread remaining cheese over sauce. Bake for 20 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.

CENTRAL AMERICAN TACOS   allrecipes.com

"Wonderful authentic tacos I first tasted in Guatemala at a taco stand. May be a little different to the American taste, but the green sauce is the crowning touch. The flavors are the subtle flavors of Central America."
Serves 5

5 large potatoes, cubed
1 pound lean ground beef
1/2 onion, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

4 tomatillos, husked and quartered
1 clove garlic, peeled
1 jalapeno chile pepper, diced
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, or to taste
3 avocados, halved with pits removed

10 (6 inch) corn tortillas
5 large potatoes, cubed
1 pound lean ground beef
1/2 onion, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Place potatoes into a large saucepan, and fill with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain. While the potatoes are cooking, crumble the ground beef into a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook for a few minutes, then stir in the onion. Cook until meat is no longer pink, and the onion is tender. Drain excess grease, and gently stir in the potatoes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Place the tomatillos, garlic, jalapeno, and cilantro into a blender. Squeeze avocados out of their skins into the blender. Process until smooth. Heat tortillas in a skillet until warm and flexible. Spoon on some of the meat mixture, and top with the sauce. Roll up, and enjoy.

 

CARNE CON CHILIES   allrecipes.com

"This delicious tomatillo-based sauce can be made with beef, pork or chicken though it is traditionally served with pork. Unfortunately, I don't have precise measurements of the seasonings, but do some tasting along the way! Serve it over rice for a delicious Mexican dish!"
Serves4

4 large boneless pork chops, fat trimmed and reserved
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon seasoning salt, or to taste
1 lime, cut into 4 wedges
10 tomatillos, husked and cut in half
1 tomato, quartered
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and halved
3 dried red chile peppers, chopped
1 clove garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Slice pork chops into strips, and season with pepper, garlic powder and seasoning salt. Squeeze lime juice over pieces. Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add fat, and cook, stirring until pan is coated. Remove fat, and put the seasoned meat in the pan. Fry until browned, about 5 minutes. At the same time, make the green sauce. Combine the tomatillos, tomato, jalapenos, and dried chilies in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, and cook until soft. Drain excess liquid, and transfer to a blender or food processor along with the garlic and salt. Blend until smooth. Pour sauce over the meat in the pan, and simmer for 15 minutes to blend all of the flavors. Taste, and adjust salt and pepper if necessary.

 

TOMATILLO SOUP

"This is a great soup that can be spiced up or tamed down depending on your individual taste. Keep in mind that you if can not purchase fresh tomatillos at your local grocery store you can substitute with canned tomatillos, drained and chopped. Try garnishing with sour cream, as indicated in the recipe. Top with a leaf of cilantro."
Serves 6

 
2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - pounded thin
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound chopped tomatillos
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced
4 cups chicken stock
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup sour cream (optional)
salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste

Heat oil over high heat in a large saucepan or Dutch oven. Saute chicken in oil until both sides are browned, approximately 2 minutes per side. Remove the chicken, and set aside. Add onions and garlic to saucepan, and saute until golden. Stir in the tomatillos, jalapeno peppers, and broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover the pot, and simmer for about 15 minutes. Puree vegetables in batches in a blender or food processor. Return to pot, and reheat. At this point taste the soup; if not piquant enough, add cayenne pepper or pepper sauce. Slice the chicken into thin slices, and then shred. Stir into soup. Season to taste with salt and pepper. When ready to serve, stir in the minced cilantro and ladle into bowls. Put a dollop of sour cream on top of each portion, and let it melt a bit. Top each dollop with a single cilantro leaf, and serve immediately.