Salsa Lessons: Tomatillos

no, it’s not another celebrity tequila

We sure as hell love salsa. It’s a classic condiment at home on everyone’s plate whether breakfast, lunch, or dinner. In fact, America’s salsa obsession hasn’t faded since it overtook ketchup as our favorite condiment in 1991. And it remains *UNDEFEATED* to this day. Hardly a week goes by without salsa gracing at least one of our meals and honestly, we should all be eating it way more. 

Store-bought salsa is $1.4 billion industry in the US and most of it is fucking trash. Shitty ingredients, bizzare preservatives, and bland flavors are not worth what they’re charging us for some disappointing dip. So over the next couple weeks we’re gonna show y’all how to make lots of different kinds of salsa for any occasion, so you can stop lighting your money on fire. Right now all the best produce is coming into season so these salsa sessions are gonna be as affordable as they are delicious. Welcome to our newest series here in The Broiler Room: Salsa Lessons. Each week we’ll tackle a new main ingredient and show you how to turn it into a crowd pleasing salsa you’ll be dippin into for the rest of your fucking life.

This week: tomatillos. 

one covered in its papery husk and one all naked

Tomatillos look like smallish green tomatoes with a papery husk on the outside similar to a gooseberry. Isn’t mother nature fucking fascinating? Originally from Mexico, the plant is a nightshade just like the more familiar tomato which also originated in the Americas. They can be eaten raw or cooked and can be found in some of your favorite foods from salsa verde to the gazpacho in our latest book. To pick them out at the market just look for a firm fruit without any bruises or scars, same you might with a tomato. They’re usually stocked by the peppers in the produce section and are relatively affordable during the summer depending on where you live. Here in LA, we rarely see them for more than 99 cents a pound. So without further ado, here is a delicious salsa for you to try, starring the tomatillo. 

Grilled Tomatillo Salsa

Makes about 1 ½ cups

6 tomatillos, papery skin removed

1-2 jalapeno peppers, depending on your love of heat

½ a white onion

2 cloves of garlic

¼ cup chopped cilantro

2 tablespoons orange juice

2 tablespoons lime juice, about 2 limes

1 cup veggie broth water

Warm your grill up to a medium high heat. In a medium bowl toss the whole tomatillos, jalapeno, and white onion with a tablespoon of oil until they all have a lil bit on them. Place the tomatillos and onion- cut side down on- the grill and the jalapeno however it will stay. Cook until the tomatillo until it gets some grill marks on it, turning on to each side until the tomatillos softens up, about 8 minutes total. Do the same with the onion and jalapeno until they are covered in grill marks and the peppers’ skin is blistered in some spots.

Let the grilled items cool for a few minutes then place them in a blender or food processor with the rest of the ingredients and run until you get your desired salsa consistency. Do you. This salsa is great as a dip, drizzled over tacos, or for enchiladas. 

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Thanks for joining us here in The Broiler Room. Your continued support and feedback mean the world to us. Same time next week? Bring more chips. 

Michelle and Matt