SALSA VERDE WITH A SIDE OF STRIP STEAK
So good, you’ll never buy salsa again.
2-3 cups, 30 minutes (plus 10 for steak)
Ingredients:
1.5 pounds tomatillos
1/2 (approx. 1/2 cup) of a medium sized onion, white or yellow work best
2 cloves garlic
2 jalapeños
1/4 cup fresh cilantro
2 tbsp fresh lime juice (approx. 2 limes)
Salt
Steak
2, 8 oz New York Strip Steaks
2 tbsp butter
Kosher salt
Black pepper, freshly cracked
The Blistered Peppers Take:
Let’s first talk about the fact that you can use salsa verde on SO MANY THINGS. I’m telling you it’s a Blistered Peppers dream (because it’s so versatile). But, why’s it green? Is it the poblanos? Maybe. Is it the cilantro? Potentially. Is it the jalapeno? This is the same thinking my brain was doing years before I knew. Then I understood the difference was the tomatillo and I was a newly enlightened person. Tomatillos make this dish so you need to know all the things about them before you dive in.
What is a tomatillo? In short, it’s a small tomato with a husk on it. Like corn! We’re normally seeing green tomatillos, but interestingly they can ripen to a purple or even a yellow color - CRAZY! The flavor of a tomatillo can almost be described as a less sweet tomato? I know that’s not going to bring so many fans to the table, but there’s no other way to describe it, though I’m telling you when you make this salsa verde, you’ll be hooked. My recommendation is that you place the tomatillos (with their husks) in a bowl of water so they’re just covered. It makes the husks easier to peel and then just rinse the sticky “goo” that will remain on the tomatillo itself off underwater.
Why are we charring the tomatillos here? For me, when you char up the outside of the tomatillo the flavor intensifies - the flesh softens - and you get more of a charred/smokey flavor in your salsa!
OK - I mentioned at the beginning that salsa verde is super versatile (and also interchangeable). How do I use this delicious salsa?
I double the recipe, throw two chicken breasts in a larger sauce pot, cover with the salsa verde, bring to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes. Shred the chicken and you’ve got yourself chicken verde tacos. (Yes, you can enjoy this hot or cold)
Take a spoonful into your favorite lemon vinaigrette dressing and mix with your salad.
Toss it in a bowl and serve alongside your favorite tortilla chips and it’s the perfect summer snack.
Throw some into that amazing breakfast burrito.
Or… use it as a topper on your favorite cut of steak. Like we do here.
Keep in mind this salsa can last in an airtight container in your fridge for 5-7 days (but trust me it’s not lasting that long :)). You can also double the recipe, spoon into some ice trays to freeze, put in air tight containers and it will last for a month!
Give this a try this week. Let me know what you added (chiles, more jalapeno, extra garlic?!) or how you changed it up. Tag Blistered Peppers in your pics. Enjoy!
Steps:
First, you’ll need to remove the husk of the tomatillos (see tip above) and rinse them off well.
Add the tomatillos, halved onion, garlic (skin removed), and 2 whole jalapenos to the cast iron skillet over medium heat. After about 5 minutes, the tomatillos, onion, etc. should be nicely charred on one side, flip them over and char on the other side for 3-5 more minutes.
Cut the stems off of the jalapenos. Transfer the salsa verde ingredients, including the lime juice, cilantro, and a heavy sprinkle of salt, into a food processor or blender. Blend until no large chunks remain.
If you are looking for a mild salsa verde, I recommend removing the seeds from the jalapenos as well.
Transfer the salsa verde to a small saucepan and let simmer on low-medium heat until the salsa begins to thicken. This should take about 7 minutes.
Place in an airtight container and let rest in the refrigerator while you cook the steak.
If making the steak…
Place a cast iron skillet over medium flame and allow it to heat. Meanwhile, generously season the steak with salt and pepper on both sides. Once the cast iron is hot, transfer the steak to the pan and allow it to sear and cook - about 3-4 minutes on each side for medium rare.
For extra flavor, after you’ve flipped the steak place 1 tablespoon of butter atop each strip as the second side cooks. Right before removing the steak from the pan, use a spoon to baste the steak with the melted butter.
Remember to only season the steak right before you cook it, otherwise the salt will release moisture from the steak and it can dry out.
Allow the steak to rest on a cutting board for at least 5 minutes before slicing.
Slice the steak into ½ inch strips and cover in salsa verde. Dinner is served!
