The brisket is in the smoker… things are going well. Many hours left to go.
While I wait… salsa.
I haven’t done much with tomatillos in my life because… I just haven’t. But the Johnson’s Backyard Garden CSA box brings what it brings and it forces you to find ways to use what comes. When they give you a pound of tomatillos, you use them.
Wife did a quick Google search and found this recipe for a roasted tomatillo and garlic salsa.
I love it.
A pound of tomatillos, which is exactly what came in the CSA box.
A head of garlic.
The recipe calls for jalapeno peppers, but we only have serrano for that is what the box gaver us, so I used only 1 serrano. I love heat, but I’m over that need to make things as damn hot as possible… it’s more about flavor.
Clean those things up and put them under the oven broiler to roast them. Keep an eye on things, turn as needed, remove them as they brown. Allow them to cool. Yes, I thought about putting them into the fire to gain some smoke and such, but these need a lot of nanny-style monitoring so you don’t ruin them, and the constant opening of the smoker would be bad for the meat so I stuck with the oven.
Bunch of cilantro.
Put it all in the blender. Whirr until mixed, but we’re not making a smoothie here. I did add about 3/4 tsp of salt, which seemed just right.
Now, the recipe does call for adding some water, so things can blend. I wish I hadn’t added that 1/2 cup because I don’t think I needed it. Next time don’t add it until later, and only if needed.
But oh my my my my my.
Folks, this is so awesome.
What makes it awesome?
It’s simple.
It’s got ingredients with bold flavors, intensified by roasting.
Then you put them together, and that’s that. There’s no need for artificial things, or filler that, or whatever extraneous crapola. It’s just food as it came out of the ground, as nature intended it to be, made better by fire and mixing together. And it’s kept simple, allowing each flavor to exist as it is.
Oh… it’s so damn good.
I’m going to start on the tomato-based salsa in a little bit.
Stuff From Hsoi 
That looks quite a bit like my recipe, only I also add some lime juice.
I raise quite a lot of tomatillos; they replant themselves in my garden, so all I have to do is thin them out every year.
When I was a kid we used to find them growing wild, and the ripe fruits are quite tasty, also.
I added lime juice to the tomato-based salsa I made, but this just didn’t need it. So good as it is.
I’m going to have jalapeno’s coming out my ears before long….I somehow managed to order double the number of plants I meant too! And only one person in the house who’ll eat them…..
Do you know how to can?
Else, time to put them in baskets and give them away to all your friends. 🙂
Pickled a bunch last year, still have 3 or 4 jars left. Gonna try dehydtrating a few this year, I’ll pickle some more, might have to come up with something else too. But yes, family and friends will be enjoying the fruits of my garden this year….
I am so planting tomatillo’s next year…I have been reading about this delicious green salsa all over the internet. If it sounds so good, it probably tastes even better.
It was so good.