My dog walking buddy, Meg, dropped in for a soursop margarita last weekend. As an impromptu snack I whipped up a salsa verde in under 5 minutes. The brilliant color alone makes an impression. Besides, it’s yumalicious.
When it comes to red salsa, I always simmer it on the stove top in lieu of serving as salsa fresca because those raw onions give me dragon breath. But for a zesty tomatillo salsa that is pure freshness in the mouth and easy to assemble, all you need is a knife, cutting board and food processor or blender.
I can practically drink it. In fact, I bet is would mix well with vodka. Why not? Think Irish Bloody Mary. I’ll let you know.
These tomatillos came from Costuless, but there was a farmer selling tomatillo last summer at the Wednesday Kapaa Farmer’s Market. As much as I love to cruise the tables loaded with local produce, I rarely attend the Kapaa market anymore even though it's barely three miles from home; the 3 p.m. market set on black asphalt and timed to collide with the middle school traffic has lost its shine.
I order most my produce from John and Nandanie Wooten. I call the order in by 9 am. Monday, Tuesday or Thursday, then pick up at 3 p.m. from their Anahola farm. Their number is 823-6807.
Salsa Verde
In a blender of food processor blitz:
10 tomatillos quartered
3 cloves chopped garlic
4 leaves of kale, Swiss Chard or lettuce
1 handful chopped cilantro
2 jalapenos, sometimes I use fresh and other times the pickled canned ones.
3 green onion
½ cup water
1 pasilla pepper, I roast the pasilla on a gas flame, peel and seed.
1 tsp. salt
Enjoy.
