Homemade Salsa

Chile de Arbol Salsa

This is one of our favorite salsas, and it is so easy! My only complaint is that it is gone so fast! I have doubled the recipe before, but it still goes fast!

2 lbs. tomatillos, husked and rinsed

18-20 dried chiles de arbol (found in the Mexican section of the grocery store)

boiling water

8 cloves garlic, unpeeled

1 tsp. salt
8 Tblsp. lemon juice



Preheat the broiler. Spread the tomatillos on a broiling pan lined with foil. Slip them under the broiler and broil, turning once, for about 10 minutes or until they are soft and slightly blackened on both sides. Remove from the broiler and let cool.

Set an ungreased skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, toast the chiles in the pan, turning them, for 1-3 minutes, until they are fragrant and making a crackling sound. (Don't lean over the pan and breathe in at this point. It's rather, umm, hot. And don't ask how I know this!) Remove from the heat, and when cool enough to handle, remove the stems and seeds.
Crumble the chiles into a small bowl and cover them with boiling water. Let stand for about 20 minutes, or until soft.

Meanwhile, toast the unpeeled garlic as you did the chiles, turning occasionally, for about 5 minutes, or until soft. Black spots are okay. Remove from the pan, and when cool, peel off the skins.
Drain the chiles, discarding the soaking liquid. Combine the chiles, garlic, tomatillos, and any juices from the pan, the salt and lemon juice in a blender. Puree to a relatively smooth consistency, and thin with water if needed. (I never use water)
Transfer the salsa to a saucepan and bring to a boil. Ladle hot salsa into hot jars, seal and process in a boiling water bath for 20 minutes for long-term storage.
Or, place the salsa in jars and store in the refrigerator for 2 weeks. This salsa tends to go bad fast, so I would do the water bath, just to be safe.
*Makes 4 half-pint jars*
*5 lbs. of tomatillos makes 5 pint jars of salsa*

I apologize for not having a picture of the finished salsa. How about a mental picture?
It's green, with seeds, and bits of red and black. And it tastes really good! Enjoy!