Still on the hunt for the greatest fish tacos possible, I had a chance last week to chat with Chef Libby in Austin about plans to chase redfish together in Rockport sometime during the grand month of October.
We talked about schedules, weather, tides and flies before I got around to the most important question of the day – what was her favorite salsa verde recipe?
After some hemming and hawing she offered to share this Grilled Tomatillo Salsa Verde, which she insists has become her all-time favorite even if it does take a bit more work to grill up the vegetables.
She of course makes it in much bigger batches and has scaled this down to make about 4 cups or so (give or take); that’s what our first batch made, which roughly translated into about a week’s worth considering we began to eat it on everything from breakfast eggs to fish tacos to grilled chicken and of course slathered on chips.
The roasted flavors from the time on the grill can’t be produced any other way (you could broil in the oven and get close) and you can dial the heat up or down by varying the number and types of chiles used.
January’s Salsa Verde Chicken Thighs will never be the same again with this recipe in hand now; as soon as it cools off a bit we’ll have a batch in the oven.
Hot damn. And thanks Libby, the first round in Rockport is on us.
2 lb. husked tomatillos
1 white onion with root intact, halved lengthwise
1 head of garlic, root intact and unpeeled, halved
2 jalapeno chiles, stemmed
1 serrano chile, stemmed
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 bunch cilantro, leaves and tender stems of course
1/2 cup fresh lime juice, maybe more
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Fire the grill.
Char those vegetables. In a large bowl, drizzle the tomatillos, onion halves, garlic head halves and the jalapeno chiles with the oil.
Now grill the vegetables for 6-10 minutes, turning often enough to maximize the char yet not burn; pull when they’re tender. Cool slightly.
Now process to a salsa. Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves into your trusty food processor and add the tomatillos, onion, chiles, cilantro and lime juice. Pulse until it’s as smooth as you prefer – she likes this one as a chunky salsa with lots of texture.
Finish with kosher salt, fresh ground pepper and perhaps more lime juice to taste.
Grab the chips and the chicken or fish tacos and go to it.
Enjoy.
