Tomatillo-Chipotle Salsa

One of my classic recipes; it is always a fave at parties and potlucks. It is a very basic, intensely-flavored tomatillo + chipotle gesture that you can use as a base for perpetual salsa experimentation... just don't add bacon or olive oil to your salsa or I will hunt you down.

This salsa and all salsas are best with authentic tortilla chips (Californian "totopos"), which if you've never had them are deep-fried corn tortilla triangles, salted afterwards. Anything else masquerading as a tortilla chip is simply not. Corn tortillas are made out of corn, water and lime.
Such chips are easy to make yourself, though quite labor intensive. As far as I can tell, impossible to buy in NYC, but west coasters should find them in most supermarkets - Casa Sanchez makes a great product. If anyone knows a brand or location to buy 'em in NYC, get in touch with me asap!!

RECIPE: Tomatillo-Chipotle salsa

MAKES: a lot

INGREDIENTS:

12 Tomatillos - shucked and washed.
1 bunch Cilantro - wash and remove stems.
2 - 5 Chipotle peppers (dried) - stems removed.,
May be found at mexican markets or gourmet stores (Whole Foods)
3 - 4 green onions (white onion can be sub'd)
salt, to taste

METHOD:

1. Add tomatillos to large saucepan, cover with water and put on high heat for 12-15mins until tomatillos are tender.
1B. Extra Credit - Roast tomatillos in oven rather than boiling.
2. Carefully blend tomatillos in blender or food processor in small amounts. If cores remain chunky, separate those out with a spoon and blend again separately, or discard.
3. Refrigerate pureed tomatillos for 15 minutes. (This step is optional, but it is easier to salt and spice the salsa to taste if it is cool.)
4. Grind dried chipotles in blender, food processor or bladed coffee grinder. Should be coarse - 1/4" granules. Larger chunks are fine. For more smokiness and less heat, break chipotles in half and discard seeds prior to grinding.
5. Finely chop 1 C of cilantro leaves. Coarsely chop 1/2 C of cilantro.
6. Remove root end and most of green part from green onion. Finely dice white and pale green part.
7. Stir cilantro, 3 T of the chipotle and green onions into pureed tomatillo.
8. Chill in refrigerator until room temp or colder.
9. Salt to taste (don't overdo it if eating these with salty tortilla chips) and add more dried chipotle if additional smoke/heat flavor is desired. Additional onion and cilantro may be added to taste.

Note: Since this is a semi-fresh salsa, the flavor will deepen and combine as it sits. It is ready to eat as soon as it has cooled, but be prepared for pleasant flavor shifts. It will probably get spicier over time.