Fresh Green Tomatillo Sauce

Chef

Rick Bayless

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Cookbook

Authentic Mexican 20th Anniversary Ed: Regional Cooking from the Heart of Mexico

Published by William Morrow

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This image courtesy of Joseph DeLeo

This green tomatillo version of the table salsa mexicana seems even more commonplace in Mexico’s snack parlors and street stalls than the red tomato one—partly, I suspect, because the cooked tomatillos make it more a sauce than a relish, and because it has a tasty puckeriness that deliciously heightens the flavor of whatever it goes on. The sauce is frequently within easy reach in cafeterias, too, paired with a hot red-chile sauce or salsa picante. They all get sprinkled on or stirred in, like the salt and pepper on our tables. This fresh green tomatillo sauce is a particular favorite in Central Mexico.

CostInexpensive

Easy

Make Ahead RecipeYes

Dietary ConsiderationEgg-free, Gluten-free, Healthy, Lactose-free, Low Carb, Low Cholesterol, Low Saturated Fat, Peanut Free, Soy Free, Tree Nut Free, Vegan

Taste and TextureHerby, Hot & Spicy, Tangy, Tart

Type of DishCondiments, Sauces

Ingredients

8 ounces (5 or 6 medium) fresh tomatillos, husked and washed
OR one 13-ounce can tomatillos, drained
Fresh hot green chiles to taste (roughly 2 chiles serranos or 1 chile jalapeno), stemmed
5 or 6 sprigs fresh coriander (cilantro), roughly chopped
½ small onion, chopped
Salt, about ½ teaspoon

Instructions

The tomatillos: Boil fresh tomatillos in salted water to cover until barely tender, 8 to 10 minutes; drain. Canned tomatillos only need to be drained.
The puree: Place the tomatillos in a blender or food processor. If you want a milder sauce, seed the chile(s), then chop into small bits and add to the tomatillos along with the coriander and chopped onion; if using a blender, stir well. Blend or process to a coarse puree.
Finishing the sauce: Scrape into a sauce dish, thin to medium-thick consistency with about ¼ cup water, then season with salt. Let stand for about ½ hour before serving, for the flavors to blend.
Traditional Variations
Chunky Tomatillo Sauce: Prepare the sauce as described, finely chopping the chile, onion and coriander, then adding them to the blended tomatillos. If the chopped onion is rinsed, the sauce will sour less quickly.
All-Raw Tomatillo Relish: Prepare the sauce with chopped raw tomatillos, adding ¼ cup water before blending. Taste for salt and stir in additional water, if needed.

Notes :

Ingredients
Tomatillos: If there is a choice, fresh tomatillos give this sauce a livelier flavor and color.
Timing and Advance Preparation
The sauce goes together in 15 or 20 minutes. It’s best eaten within 2 hours because the onion can get strong. It may need additional thinning (or even reblending) if it has set up (from the pectin in the tomatillos).