Recipe Roasted Strawberry Tomatillo Salsa

[The Late Night Gourmet]

There are differences of opinion regarding what constitutes a salsa. In my mind, a salsa requires cooking the ingredients. Some think a salsa can be raw, and that's fine with me if the want to think that. But, this is not that kind of salsa.

I always roast my ingredients when I'm making a salsa. Roasting can be done on a sheet pan, so you can make a roasted salsa any time of year. But, in honor of the end of summer, I decided to do this on a grill.

Ingredient quantites are flexible...add more peppers if you want, or throw in different vegetables. It's hard to screw up. I'm listing the quantites I used, but feel free to adjust. And, I used a grill sheet, rather than placing the ingredients directly on the grill. This is important to avoid flareups from liquids dripping into the flames.

Ingredients
2 pounds tomatillos, skin removed
1 pound strawberries, stems removed
4 large jalapeno peppers
1/2 red onion
1 bell pepper
vegetable oil
salt

Directions

1. Coat all ingredients in oil. Heat up the grill, and cover with a grill mat. Arrange all ingredients on the grill mat.

2. Flip over all ingredients, checking to avoid burning. They will have a char, which is normal. The strawberries are small, so take special care with them.

3. Continue roasting until both sides are charred, moving ingredients around as needed.

4. Scrape off charred skin on peppers and tomatillos, as much as possible. Don’t worry about getting everything. Place all ingredients in a large pot and cover. Heat on medium-low for 30 minutes. Transfer to a food processor, adding some salt, and pulse for a few seconds. Adjust salt as needed.

 

[karadekoolaid]

There are differences of opinion regarding what constitutes a salsa. In my mind, a salsa requires cooking the ingredients

I've been to Mexico several times and both cooked and raw salsas are common. Raw salsas are often smooth, a result of being pounded to death in a molcajete. Salsa with avocado is never cooked, chile-based salsas can be either.
This particular one looks wonderful and it looks like you've mastered the "tatemado"; a classic Mexican cooking technique which involves grilling/burning the ingredients, but not too much. I asked a chef in San Miguel de Allende what it involved, and he waxed lyrical for about 20 minutes...

 

[The Late Night Gourmet]

I have

I've been to Mexico several times and both cooked and raw salsas are common. Raw salsas are often smooth, a result of being pounded to death in a molcajete. Salsa with avocado is never cooked, chile-based salsas can be either.
This particular one looks wonderful and it looks like you've mastered the "tatemado"; a classic Mexican cooking technique which involves grilling/burning the ingredients, but not too much. I asked a chef in San Miguel de Allende what it involved, and he waxed lyrical for about 20 minutes...

Now I want to give a try at the raw method, which I am taking to be different from pico de gallo. But, maybe it's not actually different. People I've know who make a pico just chop everything up, mix it together, and they're done. What you describe sounds like more work, but I'm up to it. I got this several years ago, and I mostly just use it as a serving bowl:

 

[The Late Night Gourmet]

Minor update: I forgot to mention scraping the charred skin off the peppers and tomatillos. I happen to like the burnt flavor, but too much of it adds an acrid flavor that’s not desirable.

 

[karadekoolaid]

I forgot to mention scraping the charred skin off the peppers and tomatillos. I happen to like the burnt flavor, but too much of it adds an acrid flavor that’s not desirable.

As Hamlet said: " Therein lies the rub"

 

[blades]

A lot of work but it looks worth the effort. Very nice.