I have to confess it took me 45 years to tackle the tomatillo only to find out that they are really very easy to work with. I don’t know why I was so intimitated by those little green tomato looking things with the wrinkled, papery skin, but I am 
no longer afraid. Actually, now I’m addicted. The original recipe for this salsa comes from Marcela Valladolid‘s Fresh Mexico Cookbook. I met Marcela and took home her cookbook after a Food Network sponsored house party last year. It’s taken me this long to post about it, unfortunately, especially since I now have a new favorite condiment.
The only change I made to the recipe was to roast the tomatillos under the broiler until they were slightly browned. (approximately 10 minutes. Flip them half way through.) For some reason, I didn’t like the idea of the raw tomatillos going into the salsa. The result was absolutely delicious, so I highly recommend the added step of roasting. I also added 2 cloves of garlic which I saw in another recipe. They recommeded throwing the garlic cloves in the pan with the tomatillos while roasting, which worked out great and gave me a slightly mellow garlic addition.
I served this with Fresh Corn and Shrimp Quesadillas the first night. Then throughout the week it was added to our steak dinner, grilled chicken, omelets, and more. Even the kids like it. I was actually surprised how long it keeps in the fridge. I hope you’ll give this a try. I had a tough time finding tomatillos but the little Mexican grocery in town came to the rescue. The major supermarkets should carry them. Make sure they are firm and bright green. You do not want them to appear brown or yellow. The green papery husk should completely cover the fruit and should be firmer than a tomato but not hard.
Fresh Tomatillo-Avocado Salsa
Ingredients
- 8 ounces tomatillos, husked, rinsed and roughly chopped. (If you are broiling, wait to chop until after cooking.)
- 1 avocado, halved, pitted, and peeled
- 1/2 cup (packed) fresh cilantro leaves
- 1 serrano chile
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 Whole Garlic Cloves (roasted) my addition feel free to omit
Instructions
If you are going to opt for roasting the tomatillos, place them in a foil covered baking dish and roast under the broiler until they are slightly browned. (approximately 10 minutes. Flip them half way through.) Remove and allow to cool to the touch and quarter them.
Combine the tomatillos, avocado, cilantro, serrano chile, and lemon juice in a blender and puree until smooth. Season the salsa to taste with salt and pepper. Refrigerate for up to 2 hours or until ready to use.
Corn & Shrimp Quesadilla
Instructions
These are loose instructions since I rarely follow a recipe when concocting a quesadilla. 1 ear of cooked corn, shaved. 10 large, raw shrimp, chopped in 1/2 inch pieces. Saute corn and shrimp in a lightly greased pan with whatever spices you desire. I used smoked paprika and ground cumin, salt and pepper. My cheeses of choice were crumbled Feta and a grated 3 Cheese Mexican combo.
After the shrimp is cooked through. Remove mixture from saute pan and wipe saute pan with paper towl. Add vegetable or canola oil to cover bottom of pan. Heat oil until it begins to crawl in the pan. Add tortilla, grated cheese on top of tortilla, shrimp/corn mixture, feta and another sprinkle of grated cheese. Top with second tortilla and press down with the lid of a pot that is flat and will work as a press. Once cheese starts to melt, carefully flip Quesadilla over with a large spatula and press again to brown second side. Remove and let rest before cutting. Pizza cutters work great for this job. I have an electric Quesadilla press, but actually prefer making them right on the stove. Garnish with Tomatillo-Avacado Salsa, sour cream and chopped fresh cilantro. The above ingredients made two large quesadillas.
I know you are going to enjoy this recipe. Please share your results with us on Facebook when you get the chance or leave a comment here. Remember, if you ever have a question about any of our recipes you can always ask them by commenting or on Facebook as well. Now, I’d like to leave you with a picture from the wonderful night we Food Bloggers spent with Marcela Valladolid, who by the way, is the sweetest, most down to earth woman you could ever meet. At one point, someone complimented her on her boots, so she proceeded to take them off, so she could look inside for the label and give us more info on who makes them. She is just too cute.
Deborah Smith , Founder and Executive Editor of JerseyBites.com. Launched in 2007 as a home for her growing collection of recipes, Jersey Bites soon grew into a hub for all things edible in the Garden State. Deborah is also the owner ofParents With Nannies, Inc. which operates a network of nanny employment websites established in 1999. In her spare time, (Ha) she works as a Social Media consultant and speaker. You can learn more about her services and marketing through social media on her blogwww.DeborahLSmith.com
