Year of writing 234. Tomatillos.

8/23/12

In order to receive my sister and brother in law's farm CSA, I help pick at the farm and write recipes for their blog at http://riogozofarm.blogspot.com/.  It's been a great relationship - fresh veggies all year, plus motivation to cook good food.  In this week's box was a ton of tomatillos, those fresh green pepper looking tomato things with husks.  The food I made today was CRAZY good.

Here's the recipe

for the salsa:
4 pasillas (roasted dried peppers)  You can find them at any mexican market or even the mexican section at the supermarket.
about a pound of fresh tomatillos, husked, rinsed and quartered
a cup of cilantro
3 garlic cloves
tbsp packed dark brown sugar
1 tsp molasses
tsp ground cumin
1/3 cup vegetable oil

Cut your chilis in half, stem and seed them.  On a dry skillet at medium heat, use some sort of kitchen gadget to flatten the chilis out on the pan for about a minute, until they change color a little and get pliable, like good children should be.  Then cover with warm water in a bowl and wait 20 minutes.  I suggest listening to some Corridos.  Throw the chilis in the blender with the rest of the ingredients above, add a little salt and puree for a minute or so.  Then put your oil in the pan on medium again, and when the oil is shimmery like Freddy Mercury's pants, put the salsa in.  It will splatter, so don't actually wear Freddy's pants.  Stir every once in awhile for about 8 minutes, until the salsa thickens a little. 

You can do this ahead and reheat when you're ready.

For the Steak and salad:

1 1/2 pounds skirt or flank steak
2 tbsp vegetable oil
tsp ground cumin
salt & pepper
1/2 lb tomatillos, husked and washed
cup of cilantro
1 diced shallot
juice from one lime
2 tbsp olive oil


Start your barbecue, then whisk together vegetable oil, cumin, and salt & pepper.  Brush on steak.  Barbecue to desired doneness - it's thin, mine took 4-5 minutes per side.  Let rest on cutting board for ten minutes.  While it's resting, slice tomatillos very thin, and toss with olive oil, shallot, cilantro, and lime juice.  Salt and pepper to taste - serve.   so.  good.