Fire Roasted Tomatillo and Corn Salsa
Ingredients
1 lb tomatillos (about 5 or 6 large)
2 ears of corn
2 medium heirloom tomatoes
2 jalapeno peppers
1 small bulb of garlic
juice of 1 lime
1 handful fresh cilantro leaves, chopped, plus more for garnish
salt and fresh cracked black pepper
Directions
Set the oven to broil
Cut the top end off of the garlic bulb and drizzle with olive oil. Wrap loosely with foil and put in the oven on a middle rack.
Remove the papery husks from the tomatillos and give them a rinse. Cut the stems off the jalapenos. If you have a gas stove, briefly roast the tomatillos, ears of corn, tomatoes and jalapenos over the open flame, using a pair of tongs to hold them securely against the flame. Use caution. When they have begun to blister, set them on a lined baking sheet. If you don’t have a gas stove, skip this step.
Put the whole, uncut vegetables under the broiler until they start to blacken and release their juices. Watch carefully, this will not take long, maybe 10 minutes.
Carefully transfer the vegetables and any juice to the bowl of a food processor. Check the garlic, when it is browned and soft, it’s ready. Squeeze the garlic out of the peel and drop into the processor.
Pulse the machine several times and then run it briefly. You want a uniform texture but not a complete puree.
Season with the lime juice, salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the cilantro, cover tightly, and refrigerate before serving. The salsa will benefit from a couple of hours in the fridge. Taste again just before serving to check the seasonings. I added more salt and pepper.
