tomatillo salsa verde

In honor of St. Patrick's Day tomorrow, I am making green salsa. I randomly picked up a can of tomatillos on my last trip to the grocery store. I wasn't sure exactly what I would do with them, but figured I find something eventually. It turned out that my need for them came sooner than I had anticipated - I used the ones I initially bought last night to accompany our fish tacos. It turned out super tasty. So I decided I'd make it again for the green potluck at Dave & Ashley's tomorrow night.

What is a tomatillo? I didn't know either, so I did a little research. Tomatillos were originally domesticated by the Aztecs in 800 BC. They are related to tomatoes (in Mexico, they are known as green tomatoes - "tomate verde") and, like tomatoes, are part of the nightshade family. They grow within a papery husk and have a tart, tangy, almost lemon-like flavor. They are the prime ingredient in many Latin American green sauces.

Speaking of green sauces, here's how this one goes:

Tomatillo Salsa Verde

Makes about 2 cups

12 oz. canned whole tomatillos

2 oz. canned diced jalepenos

1/2 c. onion, roughly chopped

1/4 c. cilantro, roughly chopped

1 large clove garlic, sliced

2 Tbsp. lime juice

1/2 tsp. agave nectar (or substitute sugar)

salt to taste

Combine all ingredients in food processor. Process until finely chopped and well mixed.

Did I mention that this recipe is super easy? I hope it will be a crowd pleaser!