Tomatillo Salsa with Hatch Chiles

Here in New Mexico, the surest sign that fall is approaching is the arrival of fresh hatch green chiles. All of a sudden it seems that every grocery store parking lot has its own little fenced in area where chiles are being roasted by the pound. The aroma is pungent and, if you get too close, you’re bound to start coughing. But this is the smell of autumn. Not to mention it’s a staple year-round in this neck of the woods; green chile is in everything! So we decided to join the bandwagon and add it -unroasted – into our raw Tomatillo salsa! Tomatillos are traditionally roasted so this tomatillo salsa is really breaking all the rules. Nonetheless, it was a successful experiment right off the bat.

I made this to go with corn fritters but you can can eat it with your favorite chips or crackers or over raw veggie burgers. It’s that good.

What’s A Tomatillo, Anyway?

For those of you who have no idea what a tomatillo is, they are also known as a Mexican husk tomato and are typically small – around the size of a golf ball. Cultivation of the tomatillo goes all the way back to 800 BCE when they were an important food crop for the Aztecs as well as a number of other Meso -American cultures. The fruit is covered by a papery thin husk that shouldn’t be removed until you’re ready to eat them. At that point you remove the husk and wash the fruit to remove it’s stickiness.

Tomatillos actually get to be orange or red or even purple if you leave them on the shrub long enough but they are typically used when they’re green and pretty firm throughout. Completely opposite from regular tomatoes! Tomatillos are high in vitamin C and even the leaves are used for all kinds of remedies! I think they have a slightly lemony taste but they say that if you let them ripen they get seedier and sweeter. I don’t know; I’ve never tried it! When I see tomatillos my mind goes straight to Tomatillo Salsa and I want it now! Thankfully this recipe takes all of 10 minutes to prepare!

RAW VEGAN RECIPE: Tomatillo Salsa with Hatch Chiles

1 lb . fresh tomatillos, husked and washed in warm water, quartered

1 1/2 cups chopped cilantro, leaves and stems

2 hatch green chiles, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1/3 cup white onion, chopped

juice of 1-2 limes (to taste)

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon raw agave nectar

1 teaspoon Himalayan salt

Add all ingredients to food processor and pulse until well combined. Can be refrigerated to last up to five days.