Roasted Salsa Verde

I recently came across a basket of ripe tomatillos at the market.  I was intrigued.  The only place I had ever seen tomatillos was in the produce section of the grocery store and, or course, those were not local.  These, on the other hand, were grown nearby and were beautiful.  They were calling my name (well, maybe not literally, but I am sure that the produce fairy on my shoulder told me to buy them), and I knew exactly what should be done with them- salsa verde.  I was thinking of all the meals that I make using salsa verde including Chicken and Summer Vegetable Tostadas (recipe to be posted soon), and I was so excited at the idea of being able to make it myself.  I purchased every tomatillo in the basket which, sadly, only amounted to 3 pounds.  I was not deterred. So what if I would only have a few jars of salsa.  At least I could say I had made them. 

I got home with my little green treasures and started rummaging around my cookbook shelf for salsa verde recipes.  I noticed that in many of the recipes, the vegetables were roasted before being pureed, and I thought that would add an interesting flavor element to the finished salsa.  I combined the ingredients and methods from several cookbooks being careful not to change the overall acidity in the recipe, and what I came up with yielded about 3 pints of salsa verde.  

This version of salsa verde is spicy but not overly so.  If you want to increase the spiciness, use a hotter chile or leave the seeds in rather than increasing the amount of chiles as this may make the salsa unsafe for canning.  You can, however, decrease the amount of chile used for a milder version.  I suggest starting with a couple of the chiles and adding more to suit your tastes.  

The salsa begins with tomatillos, garlic, chiles, and onion which you place on a sheet pan and roast in the oven.  I must tell you that I was a little unorganized when making it and forgot to add the onion in this picture.  I did roast the onion along with the other veggies though.  

In addition, I got caught up in the moment (as so often happens to me) and forgot to take a picture of the finished roasted veggies.  Just visualize blackened, soft veggies that no longer hold their shape and are oozing juices all over the pan.  Got the image in your head?  Okay, good.  So you put them in a food processor or blender and puree them until they are relatively smooth.  You won't get a completely smooth puree because of all the blackened bits and seeds, but you don't want big chunks either. 

Pour the mixture back into your pot.  Now, it should look something like this. Notice the black bits which really add extra flavor to the salsa.  This is one main reason to make your own if you can get your hands on tomatillos.  The store-bought stuff just can't give you the smokey taste that roasting the veggies at home can provide. 

Taste your salsa and make sure it is seasoned to your liking and is spicy enough.  Remember, if you didn't add all the chiles from the start, you can puree the rest and add them now for more kick if needed. 

The salsa then gets ladled into hot jars and processed.  This recipe only makes 3 pints, but if you want to make more, you can easily double it.  I would have but I couldn't get enough tomatillos.  Darn that farmer for not growing more! 

Roasted Salsa Verde (adapted from Canning for a New Generation and So Easy to Preserve)
makes approximately 3 pint jars

3 pounds tomatillos, husks and stems removed
1 onion, chopped (I used a Vidalia but any white or yellow onion will do)
2 jalapeno peppers, seeds removed
2 serrano chiles, seeds removed
4 garlic cloves, peeled
1 cup packed chopped cilantro
2/3 cup fresh lime juice
2 1/2 tsp kosher salt

Preheat oven to 500 degrees.  Place tomatillos, onion, chiles, and garlic on a sheet pan.  Roast for 15-20 minutes until vegetables are blackened, limp, and oozing.  Place vegetables, pan juices, and cilantro in a food processor or blender and puree until smooth.  Pour back into the pot and add lime juice and salt.  Adjust seasoning with more lime juice or salt to taste. 

Ladle salsa into hot, sterilized pint jars leaving 1/2 inch headspace.  Remove air bubbles, adjust headpace, and wipe rims.  Top with sterlized lids and rings.  Process in a water bath canner for 15 minutes.  Leave jars in canner for 5 minutes after processing time is complete.  Remove to a towel and allow to stand for 24 hours.  Check seals, lable, and store.