Green Tomato Salsa Verde

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Spicy green tomato salsa verde for canning or served fresh. A great salsa verde recipe for using those green tomatoes that will just not ripen anymore.

GREEN TOMATO SALSA

This green tomato recipe is the perfect solution for using those green tomatoes that won’t have time to ripen before it gets cold.

If you are growing your own tomatoes, you know what I am talking about. Same story every year, the tomato plants are still hanging full of green tomatoes, but the days and the nights are getting colder, and there is no chance that they will ever become red.

I don’t grow my own tomatoes, I am useless with growing plants, I keep forgetting to give them enough water or I overdo it and water them too much… But I have friends who do have tomatoes in their gardens.

As they have no ideas regarding those green tomatoes, they all give them to me. And I use them all: pickled green tomatoes, green tomato salsa verde, green tomatoes on the grill, fried green tomatoes and so on… Amazing recipes! All of them!

WHAT IS SALSA VERDE?

Salsa verde or green sauce are sauces made with herbs or, in the case of the Mexican salsa verde, made with tomatillos.

I make the German version of the salsa verde – grüne Soße – quite often, especially in spring and I’ve also had the Italian green sauce occasionally, so I can definitely say that these herbed versions don’t have much in common with the Mexican salsa verde. Just the name and the color.

What are tomatillos?

Mexican salsa verde is usually made with tomatillos (or green chilies), it is chunkier and tangy, so it has a completely different taste and texture. And, on top of that, it is used very differently.

Tomatillos, also know as husk tomatoes, are technically berries, members of the nightshade family, like tomatoes and potatoes. They are very closely related to gooseberries, that is why a gooseberry salsa verde is very similar in taste to an original tomatillo salsa verde.

Despite the fact that they are also called tomates verdes, they are not actually green tomatoes, not the green tomatoes I am using in today’s green tomato salsa for canning.

But as tomatillos are completely unavailable in Germany (at least here where I live), I am making a green tomato salsa verde. And what a delightful little recipe this is!

INGREDIENTS FOR GREEN TOMATO SALSA

Green tomatoes:

• I use green tomatoes from the garden to make the salsa verde for canning. Sometimes I am able to buy green tomatoes as well, they are usually sold in Russian or Eastern European supermarkets.

Chilies:

• I used the regular long red and green chilies I can buy here. If available, use jalapenos or other sorts of chilies.

Lime:

• Freshly squeezed lime juice is best.

Spices:

• Preferably Mexican oregano , if available.
• You will also need ground cumin, ground coriander and black pepper.
• Some garlic and cilantro as well.

HOW TO MAKE GREEN TOMATO SALSA VERDE?

• Use disposable gloves when handling the chilies. Remove the seeds and chop very finely. I used a mini food processor to chop the chilies.
• Chop the green tomatoes.
• Finely chop the onions and the garlic cloves.
• Juice the limes.
• Chop the cilantro and its stems. I use all the stems, I only cut away some really thick parts from the lower end.
• Place the chilies, green tomatoes, onions, garlic, lime juice, cilantro, cumin, coriander, salt and pepper in a large saucepan.
• Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
• In the meantime, sterilize the jars.
• You can leave the salsa verde chunky as it is or you can blend it shortly with an immersion blender. I prefer to blend it shortly, so that the salsa is somewhat smoother without turning into a puree. Just a few pulses here and there should be enough.

HOW TO STERILIZE JARS?

1. Wash the jars and lids thoroughly with soap and warm water before sterilizing them.
2. Preheat the oven to 130 degrees Celsius/ 275 degrees Fahrenheit.
3. Place the jars on a baking tray and put them in the oven for 20 minutes.
4. In the meantime boil the lids for a few minutes in a small pot full of water. Drain in a colander and handle with care, they are hot.

HOW TO CAN SALSA VERDE?

1. Pour the salsa verde into the prepared jars. It is best if the jars are still warm after the sterilizing.
2. Close the jars.
3. Place a folded kitchen towel (textile) in a large pan. Put the jars in the pan.
4. Pour hot water into the pan, the jars should be halfway immersed in water. Bring to a boil.
5. Lower the heat and boil gently for 10 minutes.
6. Remove from water and let cool on a kitchen towel.

HOW TO USE SALSA VERDE?

At the moment, I am steadily eating my way through a large jar of green tomato salsa verde. With bread and cheese mostly, I just love the combination.

However, that is the least you can do with salsa verde, if I can say so.

How about this amazing pork in salsa verde or chicken with salsa verde? Or some salsa verde enchiladas?

Some other ideas for using green tomato salsa verde:

• with nachos
• on top of tacos
• with quesadillas
• in sandwiches or burgers
• in Mexican soups
• for salad dressings
• with rice

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