Mexican Everyday~Salsa Chipotle con Tomate Verde Asado

I have been neglecting my blog, I know. In my defense, I've had family in town, it was my little boys 1st birthday, AND our Internet connection has been spotty at best. Yada yada yada, excuses, excuses. But I'm back!

My sister was in town, and while she was here, I recruited her to help me make a little salsa from Rick Bayless's cookbook, Mexican Everyday. It had all of the ingredients I love: Tomatillos, Chipotles and garlic. And that was it. Really. Salsa's are so easy to make , that if you have the time, there really is no excuse to buy a jarred version from the store. Plus you get to say, "I MADE THIS!"

The salsa may sound simple, but it gets a really lovely complex flavor because you roast the tomatillos and the garlic. The tomatillos fill the kitchen with a an amazing fresh, almost lime-y smell. As you roast them they get soft and juicy. The garlic turns brown and sweet. A quick whir in the blender with one or two chipotles, a little water and you're set.

The salsa turned out beautifully. Rich and red, flecked with charred bits from the tomatillo and garlic. The flavor was fresh, with an instant hit of heat from the chipotle that faded into a lingering warmth on your tongue. Yum.

Here are a few photos from our little culinary journey. We decided to grill up some tri-tip and onions to accompany our salsa. We were actually trying another recipe in the cookbook, but it didn't turn out as well...

Oh, and the recipe, of course!

Chipotle Salsa with Pan-Roasted Tomatillos

Salsa Chipotle con Tomate Verde Asado

I've been smitten with chipotle salsa ever since the first time I tasted it on a crusty sandwich (cemita) in a Pueblan market stall 30 years ago. It’s three simple ingredients in perfect balance: the smoky spice of chipotle chiles, the lively sweet-edged tang of roasted tomatillo, and the alluring complexity of roasted garlic. I like it spooned on practically everything but ice cream, though I'm particularly fond of chipotle salsa with grilled fish and chicken or beef or… here I go again.

Makes about 1 ¼ cup

• 3 garlic cloves, peeled
• 4 medium (about 8 ounces total) tomatillos, husked, rinsed and cut in half
• 2 canned chipotle chiles en adobo (or more, if you like really spicy salsa), stemmed
• Salt

Set a large (10-inch) non-stick skillet over medium-high heat (if a non-stick skillet is unavailable, lay in a piece of foil). Lay in the garlic and tomatillos (cut side down). When the tomatillos are well browned, 3 or 4 minutes, turn everything over and brown the other side. (The tomatillos should be completely soft.)

Scoop the garlic and tomatillos into a blender jar or food processor with the chiles and 1/4 cup water. Process to a coarse puree. Pour into a salsa dish and cool.

Thin with a little additional water if necessary to give the salsa an easily spoonable consistency. Taste and season with salt, usually a generous 1/2 teaspoon.