Roasted Tomatillo Salsa

This smoky, tangy green salsa keeps is equally at home on a tortilla chip, a taco, or drizzled on rice and beans. For a gorgeous red and green salsa add a few whole plum tomatoes to the roasting pan.If you only have canned tomatillos only broil the other vegetables. Blend the canned tomatillos with their juices plus the roasted veggies as directed.

Makes about 3 1/2 cups salsa

What You Need:

1 pound fresh tomatillos
4 cups water plus 2 tablespoons, divided
3 to 4 serrano chiles, stemmed removed (use jalapeño if you can’t find serranos)
4 garlic cloves
1 small white onion, roughly chopped
2 scallions, white and green parts divided
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves, lightly packed
1/2 teaspoon or more salt to taste

What You Do:

1. In a large bowl, place tomatillos and cover with 4 cups warm water. Slosh tomatillos around for a few minutes to remove their sticky, waxy coating. Drain and pat dry.
2. Preheat broiler to high. In a cast-iron skillet place serranos, garlic cloves, onion, and white ends of scallions and broil for 2 to 4 minutes until chiles are charred and blistered. Remove pan from oven and scrape chiles, garlic, and onions to a mixing bowl to cool. Place tomatillos in hot pan and broil for 6 to 8 minutes, turning occasionally with tongs until tomatillos have softened. Move roasted tomatillos to a bowl or plate to cool.
3. In a food processor, pulse roasted whole serranos, garlic, and onion for a few seconds. Add green part of scallion and cilantro leaves and pulse again to finely chop, scraping down sides of processor bowl several times. Add cooled tomatillos, salt, and remaining water and pulse to a slightly chunky consistency. Serve at room temperature.