Salsa Verde Mexican Green Tomato Sauce Recipes

GREEN TOMATO VERDE WITH BRAISED CHICKEN AND GREEN TOMATO SALSA

Steps:

• In a blender or food processor, puree 1 large tomato, roasted peppers, cilantro, and 1 cup of water. Set aside.
• Sprinkle the chicken generously with salt and black pepper. Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed stockpot. Add half the chicken and sauté on both sides, flipping once, until lightly browned, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a bowl and repeat with the remaining chicken. Set aside.
• Add the onion to the pot and sauté until just beginning to brown, about 4 minutes. Add the cumin and oregano, stir for 30 seconds, then add the puréed tomato-pepper mixture, scraping up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Add the remaining chopped tomatoes, garlic, salt, and black pepper. Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the pot (push the chicken down into the sauce so it is well covered).
• Cover the pot and simmer until the chicken is tender, about 30 minutes. Add the greens and cook until just tender, about 5 minutes. Season with additional salt and black pepper to taste.
• To serve, place one chicken thigh in each serving dish with rice, if desired. Spoon the chile verde sauce over the chicken and serve with the green tomato salsa, sour cream, and reserved cilantro leaves.

SPICY GREEN TOMATO SALSA

Steps:

• Combine green tomatoes, onions, jalapeno peppers, serrano peppers, and red bell pepper in a large bowl.
• Mix cilantro, sugar, garlic, oregano, and cayenne pepper together in a small bowl.
• Fill a blender with about 2 cups tomato mixture, 1 teaspoon lime juice, and 1/4 of the spice mixture; blend to desired consistency and pour into a large bowl. Repeat blending with remaining tomato mixture, lime juice, and spice mixture, working in batches, until all ingredients are blended. Stir vinegar into salsa.

GREEN TOMATO SALSA VERDE

Steps:

• Preheat the broiler. Line a baking sheet with foil. Place the green tomatoes on the baking sheet, stem-side down, and place under the broiler about 2 inches from the heat. Broil two to five minutes, until charred. Using tongs, turn the tomatoes over, and grill on the other side for two to five minutes, until blackened. Remove from the heat. When cool enough to handle, core the tomatoes and remove the charred skin. Quarter and place in a blender or a food processor fitted with a steel blade (I prefer the blender).
• Add the remaining ingredients, except the water, to the blender or food processor, and blend to a coarse or a smooth puree (to your taste). Transfer to a bowl, taste and adjust seasonings, and thin out with water if desired. Allow to stand for 30 minutes or longer before serving to allow the flavors to develop. You may wish to thin out after it stands.

SALSA VERDE: GREEN TOMATILLO SALSA

Steps:

• Whether you choose the verdant, slushy, herby freshness of the all-raw tomatillo salsa or the oil-colored, voluptuous, sweet-sour richness of the roasted version, tomatillos are about brightening tang. The buzz of the fresh hot green chile adds thrill, all of which adds up to a condiment most of us simply don't want to live without.
• For the All-Raw version: Roughly chop the tomatillos and the chiles. In a blender or food processor, combine the tomatillos, chiles, cilantro and 1/4 cup water. Process to a coarse puree, then scrape into a serving dish. Rinse the onion under cold water, then shake to remove excess moisture. Stir into the salsa and season with salt, usually a generous 1/4 teaspoon.
• For the Roasted version:
• Preheat a broiler.
• Roast the tomatillos and chiles on a baking sheet 4 inches below a very hot broiler until darkly roasted, even blackened in spots, about 5 minutes. Flip them over and roast the other side, 4 to 5 minutes more will give you splotchy-black and blistered tomatillos and chiles. In a blender or food processor, combine the tomatillos and chiles, including all the delicious juice that has run onto the baking sheet. Add the cilantro and 1/4 cup water, blend to a coarse puree, and scrape into a serving dish. Rinse the onion under cold water, then shake to remove the excess moisture. Stir into the salsa and season with salt, usually a generous 1/4 teaspoon.

GREEN HOT SAUCE (SALSA VERDE)

Steps:

• Place the tomatillos, serrano peppers, onion, and garlic in a saucepan, and add water to just cover. Sprinkle the salt over the top, bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook until the tomatillos are soft and have turned slightly brownish in color, 20 to 30 minutes. Add more water if needed to keep the mixture from burning as it cooks.
• Pour the cooked vegetables into a blender, and blend until smooth.

EASY SALSA VERDE

Steps:

• Blanch the tomatillos in simmering water for 5 minutes.
• Drop them in an ice bath to stop the cooking process.
• Give them a rough chop and throw them in the food processor.
• Process them until till they are thoroughly pureed.
• Pour into a large bowl.
• Puree together with the garlic, jalapeño peppers, and 2 cups of green peppers
• Combine your tomatillo puree and pepper chop in a large pot.
• Add 1 cup vinegar 1 Tablespoon lime juice, zest of the lime, 1 teaspoon salt
• Stir till combine and slowly bring to a boil.
• Boil 5 minutes.
• Get a big spearing spoon and skim the white foamy stuff off the top of your salsa.
• Pour your salsa verde into your hot jars.
• Pop on a clean new lid.
• Finger tighten a ring onto the jar.
• Carefully lower the jars into the hot water bath with at least 1 inch of water covering the jars.
• Process 10 minutes.
• Remove from the hot water and allow to cool completely.

SALSA VERDE (MEXICAN GREEN TOMATO SAUCE)

Steps:

• Put the tomatillos whole in a small saucepan, barely cover with water, and bring to a simmer. lower the heat and continue cooking until soft but not falling apart, about 5 minutes depending on size. Drain, reserving the cooking water.
• Using a molcajete: Mash and grind together the chiles, 1/2 cup cilantro, the garlic, onion, and salt. Add the tomatillos a few at a time, crushing and grinding well after each addition and adding a little of the cooking liquid until you have a textured sauce of medium consistency. You will probably need about 1/2 cup or even more of the cooking liquid.
• Using a blender: Put 1/3 cup of the cooking water into the blender jar. Add the chiles, 1/2 cup cilantro, the garlic, and the onion and grind to a paste. Add the tomatillos a little at a time, blending with about 1/3 cup more of the cooking liquid until you have a textured sauce of medium consistency. Add salt to taste.
• To serve: Sprinkle the top with the extra cilantro.

ROASTED TOMATO AND TOMATILLO SALSA

Steps:

• Husk the tomatillos and then rinse both the tomatoes and tomatillos. I usually remove the stems from both of them knowing that any juices leftover in the roasting pan will go into the blender.
• Roast the tomatoes and tomatillos in a 400F oven for 20-25 minutes. Here's why roasting tomatillos is better than boiling them.
• Add the roasted tomatoes and tomatillos to a blender along with 1/3 small onion, 1 peeled garlic clove, 1 rinsed and de-stemmed jalapeno (or less for a milder version), 10-12 sprigs rinsed cilantro. Combine well (I usually leave it a bit chunky.)
• Take a taste for seasoning. I added another 1/2 jalapeno, a pinch of salt, and a generous squeeze of lime.
• Serve immediately or chill in the fridge for a bit before serving.
• Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge where they will keep for a few days.

GREEN TOMATO ENCHILADA SAUCE

Steps:

• Saute the onion and garlic in oil in a saucepan until the onions soften.
• Add the remaining ingredients.
• Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer about 25 minutes or until tomatoes are soft.
• Puree with a stick blender, or allow to cool down and puree in a food processor or blender.
• Take the meat off a rotisserie chicken and shred with your fingers.
• Toss with about a cup of the enchilada sauce.
• Heat about half inch oil in a skillet and briefly fry the corn tortillas a few seconds to soften.
• Fill with meat mix, roll up, and place seam side down in a baking pan that has a layer of sauce in the bottom.
• Top with shredded cheese (cheddar or Oaxaca Mexican melting cheese) and bake at 375F for about 10-15 minutes to melt the cheese.
• This uses about half the sauce (one quart) on a pan of 6-8. You can feel free to make another pan or freeze the rest in a ziploc.
• You can freeze extra chicken, or I used the extra meat rolled into flour tortillas and fried as flautas, which I served with freezer guacamole, sour cream, and salsa.