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How to make a base of SALSA VERDE for freezing and using later.

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Tomatillos

Ingredients: roasted tomatillos & onion, garlic, peppers- I used jalapeno, bell, any/all the other peppers my husband decided to grow in the garden....who knows the names of them?!
See all 4 photos
Ingredients: roasted tomatillos & onion, garlic, peppers- I used jalapeno, bell, any/all the other peppers my husband decided to grow in the garden....who knows the names of them?!
Into the food processor! Make it chunky or smooth...your choice.
Into the food processor! Make it chunky or smooth...your choice.
Putting the plastic bag in the pitcher helps to ladle it in without a mess.
Putting the plastic bag in the pitcher helps to ladle it in without a mess.
Ready for the freezer! I use this on enchiladas- just throw into a pot and simmer with chicken broth, salt, cumin, cilantro...all to taste.
Ready for the freezer! I use this on enchiladas- just throw into a pot and simmer with chicken broth, salt, cumin, cilantro...all to taste.

Salsa Verde...YUM!

I LOVE salsa verde. I fell in love with it when I lived in Chile a few decades ago. It was put into a little dish and set on the table for dipping bread. It was super spicy, rich and flavorful with the best oil and crushed garlic. It replaced the salt and pepper at the dinner table...and absolutely no ketchup needed for anything. My mouth is watering just thinking about it! Then, the first time I traveled to New Mexico I found salsa verde in a whole new light. It was rich and thick with tender chunks of pork ladled through it. Rather than used as a dipping salsa, it was used to drench eggs, or tortilla chips or enchiladas. Absolute deliciousness on a plate. Finally, one of my favorite taste bud treats- is a trip to the Yucatan. There I found salsa verde as a dipping salsa that was lighter I believe for the absence of oil and more heavily herbed with cilantro. This is the perfect topping for tacos al pastor or just for dipping bread or chips. Mexico also used a form of this fresh and flavorful green sauce for making my enchiladas ohhhh so good! Well, since we're on the subject I must confess that I live in upstate New York where anything containing authentic salsa verde is very hard to come by. In fact, it's virtually non existent. This has turned me to some of my favorite cookbooks and chefs like Rick Bayless and Marcela Valladolid for some salsa verde recipes. I have tried many and each one is different and delicious just as each experience in New Mexico, the Yucatan, and Chile have rendered different and delicious flavors to enjoy. Here, I'd like to show you what I came up with just using what I had on hand fresh from our garden and maybe it will inspire you to get some fresh garden salsa verde in your freezer to have on hand when you get the urge for green spicy goodness. It is basically a base to which I add broth, spices, salt and then incorporate it into whatever cooked dish I'm making. This batch made some great chilaquiles and enchiladas. Have fun!


Cookbooks I Recommend

Mexican Everyday (Recipes Featured on Season 4 of the PBS-TV series "Mexico One Plate at a Time")
This is a very basic cookbook that shows how to make everything from beans from scratch to a simple mole sauce.
Amazon Price: $14.90
List Price: $29.95
Mexican Made Easy: Everyday Ingredients, Extraordinary Flavor
This cookbook is also very basic and includes some fresh ideas for Mexican food from Baja.
Amazon Price: $13.85
List Price: $27.50
Mexican Family Cooking
This cookbook is about authentic Mexican cooking...nothing more, nothing less. Basic, easy to understand, good recipes, good food!
Amazon Price: $11.36
List Price: $19.00

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Comments

LuisEGonzalez 3 months ago

Welcome. Very good idea, I love salsa verde on several dishes ,especially BBQ steaks, Thanks for sharing

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