From “Rosa’s New Mexican Table,” makes 4 cups.
Ingredients
2 pounds tomatillos, husked and washed
2 whole jalapeños
3 small garlic cloves
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 bunch cilantro, thick bottom stems removed, the remainder washed and shaken dry
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon salt, or to taste
Directions
Put tomatillos and jalapeños in a medium saucepan. Pour in enough cold water to barely cover (about 3 1/2 cups), and bring to a boil. Cook until jalapeños are soft and tomatillos are tender, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand for 15 minutes to finish cooking the inside of the tomatillos.
Drain tomatillos and chiles – gently, to avoid breaking up tomatillos – in a colander. Wipe out saucepan and set aside. Put tomatillos, jalapeños, garlic and cumin in a blender jar and blend for a few seconds, just until tomatillos are coarsely chopped. Add cilantro and blend until sauce is smooth and speckled with finely chopped cilantro. Do not overblend or you will grind tomatillo seeds and make a thick paste, rather than a smooth and shiny sauce.
Heat oil in cleaned pan over medium heat. Pour in salsa, bring to a simmer and cook until lightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Season with salt. The sauce can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months. Reheat over low heat before using.
Tip: When trimming, washing and drying cilantro, keep it in a bunch, then add the bunch to blender jar stems-down. The bunch will be pulled into the liquid and chopped quickly, avoiding overblending.
