Tomatillo and Aloe Salsa Recipe

This is the only tomatillo salsa you will ever need in your entire life. Once you make this all others will pale in comparison. You will be spoiled and gradually become a tomatillo salsa snob. You will scoff at inferior ones. Your friends and family will make their pilgrimage to your house just to taste it. You will be king, queen, y el maestro de todo.

Having spent a significant amount of time in various Latin households I can say this will easily please even the most critical Latin tongue.

Have I raised the bar enough? Ok, good, let’s go shopping.

Tomatillo w/Aloe Salsa Recipe

Servings:  ~2 1/2 cups

• 5 very ripe tomatillos (or 6-7 small ones)
• 1 jalapeño (rib, seeds and all)
• 1/2 bunch of fragrant coriander
• 1/2 of ripe avocado
• 1 Cubanelle Chili or Anaheim
• 2 scallions
• 1/4 medium yellow onion
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 cup peeled aloe plant
• 1/2 tsp light Agave nectar

How to Pick the Perfect Tomatillo

Simply try and look for them still in the vibrant green stage almost ready to break their husk or have “just” broken their husk. They should not be yellow. What makes this salsa great is not blanching or roasting the tomatillos before spinning down like most recipes. I like it “cruda”. I also let the flavors marry for half a day after it has been puréed.

Tomatillo Salsa “Instructiones”

You are going to freak out on how easy this is. There is only one step. Put everything in a CuisineArt and blend. Salt to taste and add more jalapeño for a higher Capsicum rating. Other than that, you are done. Yup. That’s it. Bam.

Why This Recipe?

Cooking for me is never an arbitrary exercise. I have specific goals for all the ingredients and measurements. It could be my German heritage or just me obsessing over trying to be the best (which is impossible, I know). Either way, here are some of those “whys”.

Onions: I add both green scallion and yellow onion for multiple layers of taste but in just enough quanity so you don’t walk away blowing everyone away with your breath. I also soak the cut white onion in a little water first to lessen the strength. These along with the garlic gives you a nice robust flavor.

Cubanelle peppers: I love these things. They are not hot (to me) and when spun down they add a very unique sweetness to the dish which balances some of the tart flavors from the tomatillos and the heat from the jalapeño.

Avocado: The obvious answer is that avos have a really unique taste and chemical property; that creamy texture will help bind all the ingredients together and give it a silky finish for presentation.

Aloe: Totally optional and this was the result of one of my aloe plants going crazy. I had to trim it down so I decided to mix it up with the tomatillo salsa. Adds a certain viscous quality to the salsa.

Pairings For The Salsa

1. Fish or chicken tacos
2. Enchiladas
3. Homemade corn chips
4. An authentic quesadilla
5. Copious amount of Tequila shots
6. All the above