There is nothing better on a beautiful summer day than sitting outside sipping cold beer and dipping the old chips into something hot and spicy. I woke up thinking Mexico, and when I opened the fridge, the Minnesota tomatillos were just begging for a salsa lesson. Once I got started, the jealous garden tomatoes wanted to be spun around too. I ended up with the tomatillo, a roasted tomato and fresh tomato salsa.
Three Salsa Recipes
Tomatillo
The tomatillo and roasted tomato are basically the same salsa only one has tomatillos and the other tomatoes. All the ingredients get roasted on a sheet pan under the broiler until they start to blacken, then they get a zing through the food processor with lime juice, cilantro and salt.
* While I prep the ingredients for these salsas, I wrap a head of garlic in foil and place it in the oven at 400 degrees to roast it. When the other ingredients are ready to broil just toss the garlic on the sheet pan so it can continue to cook a little longer.
Tomatillo Ingredients:
- 1 pound tomatillos, husks removed and washed
- 1/2 medium white onion cut in quarters
- 2 cloves roasted garlic*
- 1 jalapeno pepper, stem removed
- juice of 1 lime
- 1/2 bunch cilantro washed
- salt to taste
Directions:
Line a large sheet pan with foil. Lay out washed tomatillos, chopped onion and jalapeno on the sheet. If you haven’t already started the garlic, that can be wrapped in foil and placed on the sheet pan as well. Place the vegetables under the broiler. Watch them carefully so they don’t burn. I roast them until everything has a blackened spot on it. The onions take a little longer, so sometimes you may need to move things around so the tender veggies are further away from the heat. Once they are blackened a bit, set them aside to cool for a minute. When they are cool spoon them into a food processor and add the cilantro, lime juice salt and two of the roasted garlic cloves. Run the processor until the salsa is smooth. Refrigerate before serving.
Roasted Tomato Salsa Ingredients:
- 10 Roma tomatoes washed and cut in half lengthwise
- 3 cloves roasted garlic
- 1 jalapeno, stem removed
- 1/2 medium white onion cut in quarters
- 1/2 bunch cilantro washed
- juice 1 lime
- salt to taste
Roasted Tomato Salsa Directions:
Follow the same directions as for the tomatillos above. It’s very easy to make both of these recipes on one sheet tray together.
A while back I posted this recipe but used red onions instead of white. These ingredients get a few pulses in the processor and you are ready to eat. Enjoy!
- 6 Roma tomatoes quartered
- 1/2 medium white onion
- 1 jalapeno pepper
- 1 bunch cilantro, washed
- 1 lime juiced
- salt to taste
Vegetarian Perspective 