Fresh tomatillos from Jean's farm, husked and ready to go!
So, last week my blog was all about our friend Jean's farm and I'm back this week to share a recipe made with some of the beautiful produce from her garden! Tomatillos are a favourite of Jean's and she has a tonne of them! Related to the tomato and though technically regarded as a fruit, tomatillos are used in savoury recipes. A staple in Mexican cuisine, Tex-Mex cooking other in South American countries, the most popular way to prepare tomatillos is to make a green salsa from them called salsa verde. Now, I must be frank and tell you that I tried making my own salsa recipe this week, but it wasn't very good. Then I thought to myself "Why try to make something, when someone else does it better?" You see, at this year's Spring Cottage Life Show, Jane Rodmell and I demonstrated the salsa verde recipe she had developed for Cottage Life magazine. It was absolutely delicious! So delicious in fact that I figured I might as well share Jane's recipe instead of making my own, and now you all can enjoy it as much as I did! Yum!
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Photograph by Jim Norton, from the Cottage Life website
This recipe is for Pork in Salsa Verde, but if you wish to just make the salsa, it can be easily adjusted!
Simple and Tasty Recipe:
Jane Rodmell's Pork in Salsa Verde
(serves 6)
2 tbsp vegetable oil (30 ml)
3 lbs pork shoulder, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 large white onion, peeled and cut
into wedges
2 cloves garlic, unpeeled
1/2 tsp cumin seeds (2 ml)
4-6 sprigs fresh coriander, plus extra
for garnish
1 bay leaf
Water or chicken stock
1 lb tomatillos, about 8 (500 g)
(see Tip)
2 jalapeno chiles
2 poblano chiles
Juice of 1 fresh lime
1. In a large, heavy pot, heat oil over medium-high heat. Lightly brown pork on all sides. Season lightly. Add half of onion, 1 clove garlic, cumin seeds, fresh coriander, and bay leaf. Add water or stock to cover meat, reduce heat, cover pot, and simmer until pork is tender, about an hour
.
2. Meanwhile, preheat broiler and husk and rinse tomatillos. Place on cookie sheets with chiles and remaining onion and garlic. Broil, turning occasionally, until chile and tomatillo skins are evenly browned and blistered. (Or thread tomatillos, chiles, onion, and garlic on metal skewers and grill on a barbecue.) Let cool. Rub off chile skins; remove veins and seeds. Remove garlic skin.
3. With a slotted spoon, remove meat to a bowl and season lightly. Strain cooking liquid and return to the pot, simmering until reduced by half.
4. Using a food processor, purée tomatillos, chiles, onions, garlic, and accumulated juices, adding reduced pork liquid as needed to make a sauce of creamy consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning.
5. Pour sauce over pork and heat through. Garnish with extra coriander, finely chopped, and drizzle fresh lime juice overtop.
Tip: Tomatillos, a Mexican staple, are small, tart fruits you can find in most large grocery stores. Choose ones with a bright green, papery husk. You can substitute canned tomatillos for fresh or, in a pinch, green tomatoes with a dash of lemon juice.
Variation: For Chicken in Salsa Verde, replace pork with boneless chicken thighs.
3. With a slotted spoon, remove meat to a bowl and season lightly. Strain cooking liquid and return to the pot, simmering until reduced by half.
4. Using a food processor, purée tomatillos, chiles, onions, garlic, and accumulated juices, adding reduced pork liquid as needed to make a sauce of creamy consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning.
5. Pour sauce over pork and heat through. Garnish with extra coriander, finely chopped, and drizzle fresh lime juice overtop.
Tip: Tomatillos, a Mexican staple, are small, tart fruits you can find in most large grocery stores. Choose ones with a bright green, papery husk. You can substitute canned tomatillos for fresh or, in a pinch, green tomatoes with a dash of lemon juice.
Variation: For Chicken in Salsa Verde, replace pork with boneless chicken thighs.
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