A few days ago I told a long tale about my relationship with a tortilla press and I extolled the virtues of plantain empanadas I had made. What I didn’t tell you was that those plantains really MUST be served with salsa, preferably THIS salsa. On a scale of 1 to 10, the effort this salsa requires is about a 2. And if you love the smoky flavor of chipotle chiles, you’re going to be in for a treat.
As he often does, Rick Bayless gives a few variations on the making of this recipe, to work with different people’s levels of laziness. As we’ve observed many times before, my laziness level when it comes to food is often a 0 – meaning, I’m grinding spices with a mortar and pestle and wandering through Koreatown looking for a really specific type of beef. However, on a day when I MAY have bitten off a little more than I could chew, making empanadas, salsa and a chocolate flan in one afternoon, I was ready to take the shortcut this time around. And I’d highly recommend it to you.
If you want to find the right chiles and toast them, I commend you for that. I’d probably do the same if I was making this salsa to enjoy with a bag of tortilla chips. If you’re embarking on the adventure that is making empanadas, a can of chipotles on the shelf with all the rest of the Goya products is going to be your friend. Once you’ve sorted your chile situation, you’re pretty much set. Grab a few tomatillos (I’m finding that they are available more and more frequently in the grocery store), stick them in the broiler until they’re blackened and soft and roast three unpeeled cloves of garlic in a cast iron skillet for 15 minutes. Stick everything in a food processor and VOILA. Salsa.
A word of warning if spicy is not your thing. This salsa can get fiery. I used 6 chipotles in mine (the recipe calls for 3-6) and it was definitely HOT. I like hot, but if you don’t, you might want to stick to 3 and just adjust with salt and sugar depending on the prominence of the tomatillo taste. Get ready to dip lots of things into this salsa after expending almost zero energy making it; if empanadas are also your thing, I’m linking this recipe to that one. Enjoy!
Ingredients
- 3 to 6 (1/4 to 1/2 oz. total) dried chiles chipotles colorados (chiles moritas)
- OR
- 2 to 4 (1/4 to 1/2 oz. total) dried chiles chipotles mecos
- OR
- 3 to 6 canned chiles chipotles en adobo
- 3 large garlic cloves, unpeeled
- 8 oz. (5 to 6 medium) tomatillos, husked and rinsed
- Salt, about 1/2 teaspoon
- Sugar, about 1/4 teaspoon
Instructions
- If using the dried chiles, set an ungreased griddle or heavy skillet over medium heat. Break off the stems of the dried chiles. Toast the chiles a few at a time: lay them on the hot surface, press flat for a few seconds with a metal spatula (they'll crackle faintly and release a smoky aroma), then flip and press down to toast the other side. Transfer the toasted chiles to a bowl, cover with hot water and let rehydrate for 30 minutes, stirring regularly to ensure even soaking. Pour off all the water and discard.
- If using canned chiles, simply remove them from the adobo they're packed in.
- On a heavy, ungreased skillet or griddle over medium heat (you'll already have it on if you're using dried chiles), roast the unpeeled garlic, turning occasionally, until blackened in spots and soft, about 15 minutes. Cool, slip off the papery skins, then roughly chop.
- Lay the tomatillos on a baking sheet and place about 4 inches below a very hot broiler. When the tomatillos blister, blacken and soften on one side, about 5 minutes, turn them over and roast the other side. Cool completely on the baking sheet.
- Scrape the tomatillos (and any juices that have accumulated around them) into a food processor or blender and add the rehydrated or canned chiles and garlic. Pulse the machine until everything is thick and relatively smooth.
- Transfer to a serving bowl and stir in enough water, up to 3-4 tablespoons, to give the salsa an easily spoonable texture (NOTE: mine did not need any water). Taste and season with salt, plus a little sugar to soften the tangy edge.
Notes
https://www.thekitchenchronicles.com/2015/08/28/roasted-tomatillo-chipotle-salsa/
