Zesty Salsa Verde Food

AUTHENTIC SPICY SALSA VERDE

Steps:

• Place the tomatillos and jalapeno in a large saucepan. Add enough water so that the vegetables just start to float. Bring to a boil and cook until pale in color, about 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Using a slotted spoon, transfer the tomatillos and ONE of the jalapeno quarters to a blender or food processor. Pulse until a chunky puree forms. Taste for heat. If you like your salsa hotter, add another piece of jalapeno. I added a whole pepper (seeds and all) and it's very spicy, so if you're sensitive to heat, don't add as much (or remove the seeds before boiling).
• Add the onion, salt and cilantro and pulse several times to combine. Taste for seasoning adding more salt if desired.
• Refrigerate salsa in a clean glass jar. Keeps for up to one week.

ZESTY SALSA FOR CANNING

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients except tomato paste in large sauce pot.
• Simmer until desired thickness.
• Stir in tomato paste.
• Ladle hot salsa into hot jars leaving 1/4 inch head-space.
• Process 15 minutes in a hot water bath.
• Note: use more hot peppers for a very hot salsa or less for mild.
• It depends on how hot your peppers are and how hot you like your salsa.
• I never get close to 2 1/2 cups for our mild salsa.

ROASTED SPICY SALSA VERDE

Steps:

• Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat, and lightly oil the grate.
• Lay the poblano peppers, serrano peppers, and tomatillos on the hot grill, and cook, turning every 2 minutes, until the pepper skins are evenly charred and blackened, and the tomatillos have turned pale yellow and started to ooze juice, about 10 minutes. Remove the vegetables from the grill.
• Scrape off most of the burned pepper skin, cut the stems off, cut the peppers in half the long way, and remove the seeds.
• Place the onion and garlic in the work bowl of a food processor, and pulse about 4 times to chop. Drop in the peppers, pulse 4 times to roughly chop, and add the tomatillos and salt. Pulse 4 or more times to the desired smoothness, and stir in the cilantro.

ZESTY SALSA VERDE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°. In a large bowl, toss tomatillos, onions, peppers and garlic with oil. Divide mixture between two 15x10x1-in. baking pans. Roast 35-40 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring occasionally. Cool slightly., Process tomatillo mixture in a food processor until smooth, adding enough water to reach desired consistency. Add remaining ingredients; pulse just until combined. Freeze option: Freeze cooled salsa in freezer containers. To use, thaw completely in refrigerator.

ROASTED SALSA VERDE

Steps:

• Adjust oven rack to 6 inches from the top and preheat broiler on HIGH.
• Add tomatillos, poblano, jalapeno, onion and garlic to a large sheet pan, spreading them out a bit.
• Broil for 10 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through broiling.
• Add tomatillos, poblano, jalapeno and onion to food processor. Peel garlic and add it food processor as well.
• Add salt, lime juice, and cilantro and process until everything is coarsely chopped. Add water, starting with 2 Tbsp and process until desired consistency is reached. Add more water, to your liking.
• Transfer to storage containers and let cool.

SALSA VERDE

Steps:

• Bring the water to a boil in a saucepan.
• Add the tomatillos, and boil them for 3 minutes.
• Drain the tomatillos, and put them into a blender or food processor.
• Add the remaining ingredients to the tomatillos.
• Blend for only a few seconds, leaving the salsa a bit chunky (small pieces of onion and tomatillo would be evident).
• Store the salsa in a sealed container in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve it.
• It will keep for 4 days.

AL PASTOR TACO SALAD WITH SPICY SALSA VERDE RANCH

Steps:

• For the tortilla bowls: Heat the oil in a large, heavy, deep pot to 350 degrees F.
• Gently press a tortilla into the center of 7-inch spider to form a bowl. Using a 5-inch spider, gently press down into the tortilla to hold its shape. Carefully submerge the spiders into the hot oil and fry the tortilla until puffed, crispy and golden brown, about 5 minutes. Remove and gently place upside down on a cooling rack set over a baking sheet to drain of excess oil. Season with salt. Repeat with the remaining 3 tortillas.
• To make the spicy salsa verde ranch: Mix together the ranch dressing and salsa verde in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
• To assemble the salad: In a large mixing bowl, add the shredded lettuce, cilantro and about 1/3 cup of the salad dressing, adding more if desired. Divide the salad among the 4 tortilla bowls. Top each with 1/2 cup Al Pastor, radishes, Pickled Red Onions and 2 tablespoons queso fresco. Drizzle some dressing on top. Serve immediately.
• Heat the oil in a 12-inch cast-iron pan over medium-high heat. Add the tomatillos, onion, poblano, garlic and jalapeño. Cook, flipping the veggies as needed to evenly char and soften, about 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool to room temperature. Carefully remove the stem from the poblano chile, so as to not let the juices spill out (we want that yummy pepper juice!) and add to the carafe of a high-speed blender. Squeeze the garlic from the skins into the blender. Add the remaining roasted veggies and any juices from the bottom of the pan. Add the cilantro, lime juice, green onion and salt. Blend on high speed until pureed and smooth.
• In a large bowl, add the achiote paste, red wine vinegar, brown sugar, smoked paprika, cumin, salt, cloves, black pepper and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to fully combine into a paste. Add the pork and rub the paste all over to completely coat. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a pressure cooker, mix together the crushed pineapple, chicken broth, garlic, bay leaves, chile, onion, oregano and sage. Add the achiote-rubbed pork. Pressure cook on low for 4 hours or high for 1 hour until the pork is fork-tender. Carefully release the steam away from your face. Remove the pork to a plate or baking sheet and shred using 2 forks.
• Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large cast-iron pan over medium-high heat. Add the pork and spoon some of the braising liquid over to moisten, as needed. Season with salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until crispy, 4 to 6 minutes. Set aside.
• Place the onions in a food storage container and set aside while you prepare the pickling liquid.
• In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, add the vinegar, granulated sugar, salt, cumin seeds, bay leaf and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil and cook until the sugar and salt are dissolved, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool completely. Pour the cooled pickling liquid over the onions and allow to pickle for at least 30 minutes. At this point, you can either strain the onions to prevent from further pickling and use immediately, or put the lid on top and store in the refrigerator to further pickle until ready to use.