Salsa Verde

We've been enjoying lots of salsa verde these last few weeks as all the ingredients for this delicious condiment - or side dish, depending on how much you enjoy it - are ready to harvest!

Tomatillos on the vine.  These fruits are related to a tomato, but perhaps not quite so delicious raw.  When they begin to pop out of their 'paper lantern' like husk, they are ready to be picked!

 

Jalapenos!  When small stretch marks develop along their sides are they are ready to go.  Each jalapeno seems to have it's own level of spiciness.  The seeds will make it more spicy too - things to consider when making your salsa!

Cilantro!  You cut this one like most herbs, a few inches above the base of the plant, use the leaves, not the stem or flower, and leave the rest to regrow for another harvest.

Onions! When the tall green tops begin to dry out and flop over, these onions are ready to be pulled out of the ground.  They can be eaten right away, or cured in a dry place to store away for winter.

On to the cooking!  This is a simple recipe developed here on the farm - exact quantities and times are unimportant. What matters is that you use fresh ingredients from your local farm!
Ingredients:
15 Tomatillos
2-5 Jalapenos (depending on desired spiciness)
1 large Onion
1 bunch Cilantro
Juice from 1 Lime
Method:
Grill (or broil) Tomatillos, Onion, Garlic, and Jalapenos 5-10 minutes or until surfaces are lightly blackened. Put all ingredients into a blender or food processor and blend for 10-20 seconds or until desired chunkiness. Serve with tortilla chips or as a garnish to just about any meal.

We ate lots fresh but also canned some to enjoy this winter.  We recently acquired a pressure canner that makes canning easy and safe. 10 psi for 10 minutes is sufficient to kill the potential of botulism in pint jars of salsa verde. If you're a canner, this will make sense, if not, no worries, just enjoy it fresh!  It's great with swiss chard tacos, fried eggs, or just about any meal!  Buen provecho!