Tomatillos
Jennifer IserlohI didn't know what to do with tomatillos until I moved to New York City and learned about traditional, homemade Mexican food from many of the cooks I met working in restaurants. They came from towns like Puebla and Oaxaca and they all knew the secret to grinding nuts and spices for the perfect mole and how to roast chilies and other ingredients for sensational salsas -- things I had never tasted in the Mexican restaurants I had visited in the past.

I remember the first time I bought tomatillos, peeling back the husk to reveal a green orb covered with a slight tacky film that made my fingers stick together. Unfortunately, I bit right into the fruit that looks like an unripe tomato! I was disappointed with the taste -- like a cross between celery and cucumber with a sour tang of uncooked rhubarb.

I'm not fond of raw tomatillos, but once they are gently cooked -- either roasted in a pan or boiled for a few minutes in water -- and mixed with chilies, cilantro and lime, they transform into a bright and tangy sauce, fresh and cool for warm summer days. I like to serve this sauce with chicken enchiladas or on top of baked fish.

Salsa verde is also wonderful on eggs. I make fast huevos rancheros by cooking an egg sunny side up on a corn tortilla with grated cheese on top.


Get the Skinny Chef's Salsa Verde recipe.