Roasted Tomatillo Salsa

Tomatillos are making their first appearance in our box this week; and if you've never had them, you're in for a treat. These pleasingly tart fruits make a wonderful salsa that's great with chips and as a condiment for grilled fish or meat. I like to serve it with carne asada, grilled chicken, and grilled salmon or mahi mahi. It's also wonderful with all kinds of Mexican foods such as tamales, enchiladas, chiles rellenos, and taco

I like to roast a couple of serrano peppers for this recipe, but I don't always use both of them. Unless you really like it hot, start with about 1/2 serrano pepper when you mix up the salsa. Then add more to your taste until you achieve the desired level of hotness.

1 lb tomatillos
1 medium onion
2 serrano peppers
1 T olive oil
1 bunch cilantro (about 1 C loosely packed leaves)
salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. Remove the papery skins from the tomatillos and set aside for the compost. Wash and dry the tomatillos and place them whole in a large bowl.

3. Remove the papery skin from the onion and set aside for the compost. Quarter the onion and place in the bowl the the tomatillo.

4. Wash and dry 2 serrano peppers. Add to the bowl.

5. Drizzle olive oil over vegetables and turn out onto a baking sheet. Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes until the skins of the tomatillos are slightly blistered and the edges of the onions are slightly browned.

6. Remove from the oven and cool for 10 minutes.

7. Place the roasted tomatillos, onions, and about 1/2 serrano pepper in a blender or food processor and process for about 15-20 seconds. Taste and process in more serrano pepper, if desired. Then add cilantro and process until salsa gets to the desired thickness.

8. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve or store in the fridge.

If you're firing up the grill, you can roast the tomatillos, onions, and serranos in a grill pan over a charcoal or gas flame. In fact, I think it's even better this way. But the oven is fine, too.

Today's bounty included:

From Underwood Family Farms: Seedless yellow watermelon, red leaf lettuce, green romaine lettuce, golden beets, Easter radishes, Brandywine heirloom tomato, bi-color corn, Blue Lake green beans, summer squash, yellow bell pepper, and Hass avocado.

From Sage Mountain Farms: tomatillos, green scallions, Cherry Belle radishes, Russian kale and mixed heirloom tomatoes.

From Sweet Trees Farms: White nectarines and pluots.

From Silver Lake Farms: arugula, basil and mustard microgreens.

And lemons from the garden of Silver Lake Farms farmhand, Susie.

Enjoy!

Shelley