Mi salsita favorita - Chile Verde.  Hands down my favorite type of salsa.  I've made the traditional Chile Verde with tomatillos and ingredients almost identical to the ones here, but I have never made a Chile Verde without the tomatillos.  After having made this i'm not sure that I will go back to using tomatillos as the base because I REALLY enjoyed this one. 

The resulting product was light, not too hot, just enough spice  to give you a subtle hint of jalapeno flavor (not the burning-in-the-mouth feeling that kills all other flavors in a meal), smooth and runny enough to spread into all the nooks and crannies of a chicken taco or over a bean and cheese tostada.  Simply perfect in my tastebuds' opinion.

Ingredients

1  tbsp extra virgin olive oil
4  yellow Jalapenos chopped
    (seeds and veins removed)
½  white onion chopped
3  large garlic cloves
1  tsp salt
½  bunch of cilantro chopped
2 ½  cups water 
1  lemon (amount varies according to taste)

On medium heat, warm up a 2qt pot.
Add the olive oil and let it get nice and hot.

Add the onion, garlic, chiles, salt,  and saute for about 3-4 minutes or until they are soft and begin to caramelize.

I should warn you. Heating these chiles up makes the air spicy so you might wanna open your windows and let some of the chile smell escape your casita.  After they start to brown and caramelize, your nose will start to feel the spices in the air.  Trust me.  Open those windows.

Once the chiles are soft enough to smash with your spoon add the chopped cilantro.

Mix everything really well until the cilantro wilts and starts to break apart. 

Add as much water as you want.  I added the whole
2 ½   cups of water but if you like your Chile Verde thick then I would say add 1 ½ - 2 cups of water only.  Remember you can always add more water later but you can't take it out, so go easy on the water if you're not sure.  

  


 

Taste to make sure it has enough salt.  Add about 1 teaspoon of lemon juice, stir, taste again.  Salsa is one of those particular condiments.  Some people like it super hot, thick, thin, chunky or runny with lots or little lemon.  It also depends on what it's being used for.  Everyone has a different palate and tolerance to the heat and texture so be sure to taste as you go once you add the water and lemon. If you want it hotter add some of the seeds from the chiles.

Bring it to a boil then reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for about 5 to 7 minutes.

Taste again.  At this point you can add more water if you like and let it simmer a few more minutes.

Turn off the heat and let it cool about 5 minutes.  Taste one last time to make sure it doesn't need more lemon.  Bust out that hand mixer and blend away until it meets your preferred texture. If you do not have one YOU MUST go get one ASAP.  I love, love, love mine and would be very sad without it in my paraphernalia of cooking tools.  The sadness wouldn't last long though because I would skip a night out at the movies just to replace it if I had to. Really!

A blender will work just fine too in the meantime.

You really should try to get one if you don't already have one though.

Really really.

And that's it!

This recipe makes about 4 or 5 cups and so far it has lasted in my fridge for a week.  I recommend using a condiment bottle such as these or a glass jar.   

I hope you enjoy! 
Buen Provecho!



Stephanie