Words and Recipe by Libbie Summers as inspired by Pati Jinich
Photography by Chia Chong
I fell in love with Pati Jinich the day I met her. Her energy was infectious. Herself, genuine. And, she could cook! The last attribute is especially important as she was a guest on a Food Network show I was Culinary Producing. (You would be surprised how many guests couldn’t cook.) Pati made a number of things that day on the show, but it was her Salsa Verde that I couldn’t get enough of and it inspired me to perfect my own recipe. Although she and I don’t use all of the same ingredients in our Salsa Verde, the blender method Pati taught me that day on the television set was genius, and it’s the only method I use today. If you’re ever a guest in my home, it’s highly likely you’ll find a container of salsa verde in my fridge. My family loves it on everything…especially our morning eggs.
Like Pati, this recipe is perfection! (Scroll down for full recipe)
STEP ONE: Assemble your ingredients and prep for cooking.
1½ pounds tomatillos
1 jalapeno pepper, more or less, optional (remove seeds if you like less heat)
1/2 sweet onion (I use Vidalia onion when available), cut in half
2 garlic cloves
Juice from 4 limes
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
½ cup cilantro leaves, freshly chopped
STEP TWO: Remove the husks from the tomatillos (by gently pulling from the bottom of the tomatillo to the top where the husks are attached to the stem), rinse, place in a large pot and cover with water.
STEP THREE: Add the tomatillos to a large pot and cover with water. Over medium-high heat, bring the water to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered until the tomatillos skin has changed to a lighter color and the skins are just beginning to split (about 10 minutes). You don’t want your tomatillos to fall apart.
STEP FOUR: Using a slotted spoon, transfer the tomatillos to a blender along with the remaining ingredients and process until smooth. Add more salt and pepper if desired.
Salsa Verde
makes about 3 cups
Ingredients:
1½ pounds tomatillos
1 jalapeno pepper, more or less, optional (remove seeds if you like less heat)
1/2 sweet onion (I use Vidalia onion when available), cut in half
2 garlic cloves
Juice from 4 limes
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ cup cilantro leaves, freshly chopped
Directions:
Remove husks from tomatillos and rinse under cold water.
Add the tomatillos to a large pot and cover with water. Over medium-high heat, bring the water to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered until the tomatillos skin has changed to a lighter color and the skins are just beginning to split (about 10 minutes). You don’t want your tomatillos to fall apart.
Using a slotted spoon, transfer the tomatillos to a blender along with the remaining ingredients and process until smooth. Add more salt and pepper if desired. Serve alongside tortilla chips for dipping.
Also great as a sauce for: eggs, tacos and potatoes
Libbie’s Food Styling Props: Shot on zinc table from Bastille Metal Works. My cashmere sweater is Max Mara. Colorful gum ball bracelet (which is actually a necklace) was a present from my uber-talented friend Audie Metcalf. Old pewter pot and fork from Habersham Antiques Market. Orange blender from Kitchen-Aid. Yellow powder coated spoon from Rethink Design Studio. Flower cloth is a remnant I picked up in Paris. The light pink fabric is an old cashmere sweater that has been cut up. Metal baking pan is borrowed from my friend Brenda Anderson (our podcast host).
