Friday, August 3, 2012

Salsa Verde and Creamy Tomatillo sauce


I'm going to give frozen chicken enchiladas a try and these are my two recipes to choose from for salsa verde.



Salsa Verde

Kosher salt
1 lb. tomatillos (about 15 medium), husked and rinsed
3 jalapeños, stemmed and halved lengthwise (seeded, if you like)
1 large yellow onion, half cut into 4 wedges, half chopped
1/3 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro

Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Add the tomatillos, jalapeños, and onion wedges; cover and simmer until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain well and transfer to a blender along with 1/3 cup of the cilantro. Purée until just slightly chunky and season to taste with salt.



Creamy Tomatillo Sauce
 
1 lb. fresh tomatillos, husks and stems removed, rinsed
2 or 3 fresh serrano chiles, cored and seeded, or 1 canned chipotle pepper, seeded
4 slices white onion, each 1/4 inch thick
3 cloves garlic
2 Tbs. chopped fresh cilantro
2 Tbs. vegetable oil
3 cups chicken broth
3/4 cup crème fraîche or heavy cream
3/4 tsp. salt; more to taste

Position a rack as close to the broiler as possible and heat the broiler. Arrange the tomatillos, fresh chiles (if using), onion slices, and garlic in a small, shallow baking pan. Broil, turning to ensure even cooking, until the tomatillos are soft and slightly blackened, about 10 minutes. Transfer the broiled ingredients to a blender and add the cilantro (if you’re using a canned chipotle, add it now, too). Blend until smooth.
Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the tomatillo mixture and cook, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes. Add 2 cups of the broth and simmer until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 20 minutes. Taste the sauce. It should be a little tart, but it shouldn’t make your mouth pucker. If it’s too tart, add more broth and simmer until the sauce thickens again. Remove from the heat and whisk in the crème fraîche or heavy cream and the salt. Let cool slightly before making the enchiladas.

Make Ahead Tips

The sauce can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to 2 days or frozen for up to a month.


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