The humble tomatillo. They’re tart and piquant, and go well with any protein you might want to throw on the grill. To me, tomatillos are summer on a plate. I’ve never particularly like them raw, I think they’re best when roasted, grilled or just simmered in water for a few minutes- the cooking mellows the sharpness and rounds out the flavor. You can grill them and then puree into a smoky sauce to top a burger or fold into your potato salad, or for a super quick and easy salsa that packs a big flavor punch- simply blanch them in simmering water before popping them into the food processor along with a handful of other ingredients. This salsa has the addition of crunchy, grilled corn. It’s a sauce that will jazz up a million and one different things.
- 3 ears corn, shucked and cleaned
- 10-12 tomatillos, husk removed
- 2 jalapeño peppers, halved with stems and seeds removed
- 1 clove garlic, chopped
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 4 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1 teaspoon lime zest
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the corn, tomatillos and jalapeño peppers. Reduce heat and simmer for about 4 minutes. Remove the tomatillos and jalapeños with a slotted spoon and reserve. Continue to simmer the corn for another 2 or 3 minutes until just tender. Remove the corn and drain.
- Pre-heat grill or grill pan to high.
- Place corn on the grill or grill pan and sear, until lightly charred on all sides. When corn is cool enough to handle, using a sharp knife, cut the kernels from the cob into a bowl and reserve.
- In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the tomatillos, jalapeños, garlic, cilantro, lime juice and zest and olive oil until it is a coarse puree. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Stir in reserved grilled corn.
- Serve over potatoes, chicken, beef - or as a dip. Whatever you like!
