Salsa Verde recipe for tamales, enchiladas or as a dip...

We use this Salsa Verde recipe as the sauce of choice for our chicken tamales, and it makes a perfect sauce to coat your tortillas with, if your making fish, poultry or pork enchiladas. It's not limited to poultry, as it makes an outstanding sauce for pork, chicken, turkey, fish; you name it, any kind of tamales and enchiladas. I got this recipe from a street vendor on a visit to Mexicali, Mexico, where this sauce is liberally applied to the various varieties of tacos they sell. If you're not making tamales, this salsa will serve as a garnish, or a dip, a taco condiment, as it is compliments almost anything you could put in your mouth. Well, errrr... maybe not vanilla ice cream...

Special tool: Blender, cast iron skillet
Preparation time: About 10 minutes
Cooking time: About 10 minutes
Yield: Enough sauce for 24 to 30 tamales, or 18 enchiladas

1 - lb tomatillos, husked and quartered
1/2 red onion, diced (yellow or white onion can be substituted)
1 jalapeno chili pepper, seeded, stemmed and finely diced (substitute 1 anaheim chili pepper for less heat)
4 cloves garlic, chopped into quarters
1/4 cup chicken stock, preferably homemade
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, or more to taste
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon Hickory-flavored liquid smoke

Remove husks from tomatillos, cut into quarters. Over high heat, cook in ungreased cast iron frying pan for five minutes, stirring as needed. Note: The idea is to "char" the tomatillos, to add a smoky taste. Add onion, pepper and garlic; cook an additional five minutes, until ingredients are tender.

Left: Tomatillos, garlic and onions browning in a frying pan. Right: Salsa verde, ready to be used as a dip, a condiment or a sauce for tamales or enchiladas. Yes, it's very versatile.

Place tomatillos, onion, pepper and garlic in a blender. Add chicken stock, salt and liquid smoke. Whirl until blended and runny. Serve as a dip, use for a tamale sauce, taco condiment, or to top just about anything with it.

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