Salsa verde
People often mistake salsa verde (green sauce) for pesto — but once you’ve tasted this tongue-tickler, you’ll want to put it on everything! Use it on pork chops or steak, blob it on schnitzel, drizzle it on cauliflower cheese, stir it through pasta and eggs. It also makes a great dip for corn chips. Tomatillos (Spanish green tomatoes) are tangier and smaller than the red tomatoes we’re used to; they’re what makes this salsa so bright and moreish.
MAKES 1 CUP (250ML)
1 cup tomatillos (we use the El Mexicano canned ones; look in the supermarket or your nearest deli)
1 tbsp pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
3 garlic cloves, husks left on
¼ fresh habanero
handful of coriander (see note), roughly chopped
2 tsp fresh lime juice salt and pepper to taste
Drain tomatillos — or if using fresh, remove from paper husks and cut into halves.
Toast pumpkin seeds in a hot, dry frying pan for a few minutes, shaking frequently, until they start popping and turning golden brown. Tip on to a plate. Add garlic and habanero to the hot pan and roast until blistered and blackened. Leave to cool, then remove husks from garlic and remove blackened skin from habanero (see note on page 45).
Place garlic and habanero in a food processor along with tomatillos, coriander, lime juice, toasted pumpkin seeds, and salt and pepper. Pulse until smooth. Transfer to an airtight container and store in the fridge — will keep for a few weeks. Always remember to remove from the fridge about an hour before serving. We personally hate it when food is icy cold — unless it’s supposed to be!
Note - The stalks and roots of coriander are where the flavour is at! This is a great way to use up the stalks — they tend to be too fibrous to eat raw, but since this recipe is blitzed, it’s a WIN–WIN.
Recipe and image from the The Lucky Taco Cookbook by Otis and Sarah Frizzel (Published by Penguin Random House NZ, RRP $50.00).
