Almost a year ago I posted recipes for two kinds of vegetarian enchiladas. I'd had to use salsa verde from a jar and speculated that it would be much tastier with homemade sauce.

Recently I found fresh tomatillos at the grocery store and picked up a pound. What follows is the recipe I used and believe me when I say it's a world of difference from that jar stuff.

Salsa Verde

Ingredients:
1lb Tomatillos
6-8 Anaheim chilies
1/2 cup onion - chopped
2 cloves garlic - minced
1 1/2 cups beef broth
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp oregano

Directions:
Remove the husk from the tomatillos and wash. Slice the tomatillos into wedges. In saucepan combine everything and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Pour it into a blender and pulse to desired consistency.

Notes:
This is a 'flavor' sauce and not a 'heat' sauce, so it's pretty mild as is. Replace the chilies one-for-one with jalepeno's for extra zing. I used Anahiems, which seem to be available everywhere, instead of the roasted and peeled New Mexico chilies called for in the original recipe. I also cut back on the broth so as to make a chunkier, thicker sauce.

If you're making this strictly vegetarian, replace the beef broth with vegetable broth.

About Tomatillos - the most common description of their flavor I find is 'lemony', but they remind me of a lighter and less acidic version of regular tomatoes. When you buy them, they'll be wrapped in a loose papery shell which you peel off. Wash them well, because the inside skin is sticky and has a bitter taste before washing. With the husk off, they look like small unripe tomatoes on the outside, while the inside reminds me of a kiwi with white seeds. A little odd, but tasty.

Posted by: Ted at 11:55 AM | category: Recipes
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Last night I experimented with a Thai-inspired vegetable dish. Yuck!!!!

You should thank me for not posting the recipe.

Posted by: Ted at 06:05 AM | category: Recipes
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There are all kinds of recipes out there for "Crunch Salad", and this is one of them.

Crunch Salad

1 Cucumber, sliced lengthwise and cut into 1/2" pieces
2-3 stalks celery, cut into 1" lengths
1 Green pepper, coarsely chopped
1 small red onion, coarsely chopped
handful of chow mein noodles
handful of shredded cheese

Wash, peel if you want (I don't), chop and toss together in a bowl. Top with your dressing of choice.

This is one of those dishes where there's really no set way to make it. Got radishes? Toss 'em in. Want mushrooms, go for it. If you don't have chow mein noodles, crumble some Ritz or saltines into the salad instead. Instead of cheese, add some toasted sesame seeds, shelled sunflower seeds and mandarin orange slices and top with a light vinegarette. Whatever you like is the best way.

I like this salad as a quick and easy light dinner on hot summer days.

Posted by: Ted at 07:36 AM | category: Recipes
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