Turn any dinner into a fiesta with this traditional Mexican dip: salsa verde.

It’s the perfect pre-dinner snack that’ll stir the taste buds and get them ready for whatever delicious enchiladas, fajitas, or burritos are to come. And don’t be fooled by this salsa verde recipe’s simplicity – it’s teeming with flavor despite only 5 ingredients!

There are plenty of salsa brands on the market, so many of us forget that the iconic dip can easily be made in the comfort of a home kitchen – no special effects needed. Better yet, homemade salsa is without all the preservatives inherent in bottled grocery store varieties and can be tweaked to fit your taste preferences.

This salsa verde recipe is like that of any regular red tomato salsa, only with a green tomatillo base. It’s full of flavor and is very low in calories (or, at least until the bottomless bag of tortilla chips shows up to the party).

There are two sides to this salsa verde recipe: raw and roasted. If you crave a lighter, slushier, zestier, and more verdant salsa, skip the roasting process outlined in the instructions. If you’re looking for richer, more rounded flavor, be sure to roast the tomatillos first.

Salsa Verde Recipe

Makes about 1 1/2 cups

Ingredients

• 1 cup tomatillos, husked and rinsed
• 2 Serrano pepper, stemmed
• 1 jalapeno pepper, stemmed
• Small handful fresh cilantro
• ½ white onion, finely chopped
• Salt to taste

Directions

Preheat a broiler. While the broiler heats up, place the tomatillos, Serrano peppers, and jalapeno peppers on a baking sheet. Slide the baking sheet into the broiler and let them char under the heat. This will take about 5 minutes. Turn the tomatillos around and broil the other sides for another 5 minutes.

In a food processor, combine the tomatillos, peppers, their juices, and ¼ cup water and blend until pureed. Next, add in the cilantro and pulse. Transfer to a bowl and stir the onion and salt into the mixture until well combined.

Related on EcoSalon
Vegan Tacos with Grilled Plantains, Salsa Verde, and Pepitas
How to Grow Vegetables for Fresh Salsa
Moscow Mule Recipe Redux

Salsa image via Shutterstock

The post 5-Ingredient Salsa Verde Recipe: Serve Up a Fragrant Fiesta! appeared first on EcoSalon.

Tomatillos are often overlooked. These wonderful, green “Mexican tomatoes” are very easy to make into a versatile sauce. Use tomatillo sauce to enhance guacamole, or serve on steaks, rice, grilled plantains, tacos, omelets or scrambled eggs.

Tomatillos are in season now, so it’s green salsa time! When selecting tomatillos, look at the husks to make sure that they’re fresh. The husks should be firmly attached and green to light brown in color – fresh looking, not dried or shriveled. The fruit should be green, shiny and firm.

Making sauce with tomatillos is ludicrously simple using the boiling method. Remove the husks and wash the fruit. Slice into quarters, and place in a saucepan with a small amount of water for steaming – they do not need to be fully submerged in water. Cover and steam for five to seven minutes or until softened and breaking apart. Use an immersion blender to puree until smooth (optional). Season with salt and pepper, and serve!

To add complexity to the sauce, use chicken or vegetable stock instead of water. To spice up the flavoring, add minced jalapenos and garlic, sautéed onions or cilantro and lime juice. Try this version from Epicurious.

Boiling the tomatillos is easiest, but roasting them adds a depth of flavor. Here’s a great looking, quick recipe from the Burp! Recipe Collection.

If you’re grilling, this Secrets of Salsa: Five Green Salsa with Garlic and Lime Recipe looks amazing.

By the way, you can store tomatillos in the refrigerator for about two weeks in a brown bag or remove the husks and place them in sealed plastic bags to last a little longer. Better yet, cook them immediately!

Please share other tomatillo tips and recipes if you have them!

Image: La Grande Farmers’ Markets

The post All About Tomatillos, and Making a Mean Green Salsa appeared first on EcoSalon.

Condiments take up a lot of room in our fridge. What are all those crusty containers? It’s time to take control of the fridge (and diets) in our lives, and make our own condiments!

Remember the last time you were at a fancy restaurant, and you were wowed by their fresh, homemade ketchup? Why not make your own? Most condiments require only a few ingredients and a blender or whisk. I did some research and found recipes for six condiments that you can easily make yourself.

1. Ketchup

Say goodbye to ketchup filled with high fructose corn syrup. This simple ketchup recipe below from Epicurious originally came from Gourmet magazine. Or try this version from tiny morsels food blog for more complex flavor and less brown sugar.

Yield: Makes about 2 cups

Active time: 20 minutes

Total time: 3 hours

Ingredients

• 1 (28-oz) can whole tomatoes in purée

• 1 medium onion, chopped

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 tablespoon tomato paste

• 2/3 cup packed dark brown sugar

• 1/2 cup cider vinegar

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Preparation

1. Purée tomatoes (with purée from can) in a blender until smooth.

2. Cook onion in oil in a four quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring, until softened, about eight minutes. Add puréed tomatoes, tomato paste, brown sugar, vinegar, and salt and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until very thick, about one hour (stir more frequently toward end of cooking to prevent scorching).

3. Purée ketchup in two batches in blender until smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids). Chill, covered, at least two hours (for flavors to develop).

2. Mustard

I found endless mustard recipes. Jump in and have fun experimenting to find what suits your taste. Some mustard recipes require cooking and other don’t. Generally, the mustard needs to rest a few days for the flavors to meld and for the spice to mellow, especially if you’re using mustard seeds as opposed to mustard powder. Be sure to label your jars- mustard should last about one month in the refrigerator. One other note: don’t use metal containers, as mustard can oxidize the metal.

Basic Homemade Mustard Recipe:

• 1 Tbsp brown mustard seeds

• 1 Tbsp yellow mustard seeds

• 1/2 cup dry white wine

• 1/2 cup white wine vinegar

• 1 tsp brown sugar

• 1 tsp mustard flour

1. Soak seeds in wine overnight in a jar on the counter. Next day drain out wine, and reserve for later. Crush seeds. Add in two tsp reserved wine, and two tsp white wine vinegar. Stir, then add in mustard flour and brown sugar.

2. Put in jar and put in fridge, taste in a few days – it takes a couple days for the flavors to really come out.

Recipe and photo from: Meighan

Or, find 148 other mustard recipes, such as Dijon mustard or Beer Mustard here!

3. Mayonnaise

I have to admit for some time I’ve been in the “fear-of-mayonnaise” camp. However, after perusing a number of mayonnaise recipes, I have come to the conclusion that I could very well conquer this fear if I made it myself! Mayonnaise is little more than egg yolk, oil and lemon juice. Try this recipe out below from Gourmet posted on Epicurious.

Homemade Mayonnaise Recipe:

Yield: Makes about 1 cup

Active time: 10 min

Total time: 10 min

Ingredients

• 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature 30 minutes

• 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

• 3/4 cup olive or vegetable oil (or a combination), divided

• 1 teaspoon white-wine vinegar or cider vinegar

• 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

• 1/4 teaspoon white pepper

Preparation

Whisk together yolk, mustard, and 1/4 teaspoon salt until combined well. Add about 1/4 cup oil drop by drop, whisking constantly until mixture begins to thicken. Whisk in vinegar and lemon juice, then add remaining 1/2 cup oil in a very slow, thin stream, whisking constantly until well blended. If at any time it appears that oil is not being incorporated, stop adding oil and whisk mixture vigorously until smooth, then continue adding oil. Whisk in salt to taste and white pepper. Chill, surface covered with plastic wrap, until ready to use.

4. Salsa

Tomato season is drawing near, and there is nothing as fabulous as homemade salsa. It’s also extremely easy to make. Granted, it doesn’t last long in the fridge, but then again, how could something so tasty ever last long? I usually eye-ball the ratios, depending on how many tomatoes I have. The amount of spice depends on the amount of jalapeno you use. Start conservatively, and add more to taste.  Here’s what you need:

Ingredients

• 2-3 ripe tomatoes, diced

• about 1/2 red onion, chopped small

• 1/2 to 1 jalapeno, minced

• 1 garlic clove, minced (optional)

• Juice of 1/2 to 1 lime

• Handful of cleaned cilantro leaves, chopped small

• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

Combine all ingredients. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve with tortilla chips.

5. Goddess Dressing

Salad dressing, as I mentioned in my vinaigrette posting, is something we should all make ourselves. I know a lot of fans of Annie’s Goddess Dressing and when looking for a similar version, I was amazed at the amount of variation from one recipe to the next. The recipe I’ve included below seems like a good take. I also found numerous other Tahini-style dressings. This very simple Tahini-Miso Dressing from Kitchn is one I plan to try.

Ingredients:

• 2 Tablespoons plain sesame oil or olive oil

• 1/4 cup toasted sesame oil (not plain sesame oil)

• 1/2 cup tahini

• 2 Tablespoons red wine or apple cider vinegar

• 1/4 cup water

• 4 green onions (white and green parts)

• 1 Tablespoon lemon juice

• 1 Tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon shoyu or tamari (soy sauce)

• 4 fresh garlic cloves

• 2 teaspoons sesame seeds (toast them first if desired)

• 2 sprigs parsley (leaves only)

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Preparation:

1. Combine everything in a blender or food processor.

2. Taste to adjust flavors, if too thick, add water 1 tbs at a time until it’s the consistency you prefer.

3. Add a tsp more vinegar or soy for a stronger flavor.

4. A tsp more toasted sesame oil will add a “richer” flavor.

5. Store in the fridge in a jar with a tight fitting lid.

6. Peanut Butter

This simple peanut butter recipe sounds delicious. Serve with your favorite homemade jam or fruit preserves.

Recipe from: Little Blue Hen food blog

Homemade Peanut Butter Recipe:

Yields about 1.5 cups of peanut butter

Note: The darker you roast your peanuts, the more intense the flavor. We prefer a bit lighter roast, but you may not. Using a darker pan will make the peanuts toast faster, so times are approximate. I had to process mine in batches because I have a small-capacity food processor. If you have a 12-cup bowl it will probably work in one go.

Ingredients

• 2 cups (about 13 ounces) raw peanuts

• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1 teaspoon honey

• 2 tablespoons peanut or neutral-flavored oil

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Spread peanuts in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake at 350F for about 10 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally. Peanuts are done when they are just golden brown and fragrant. Remove from oven and let cool.

2. When peanuts are cool enough to handle, rub them between your hands to loosen the skins. Place peanuts in a salad spinner to separate skins from peanuts.

3. If crunchy peanut butter is desired, reserve 1/4-1/2 cup of the peanuts. In the bowl of a food processor, combine peanuts, honey, and salt. If the capacity of your food processor is small, work in two or three batches. Pulse a few times to break up the peanuts, then drizzle in some oil. Process until smooth. If making crunchy peanut butter, chop reserved peanuts and stir in.

4. Store refrigerated in an air-tight jar (an old peanut jar works really well) for up to a month.

Images: Chiot’s Run, tiny morsels,  kochtopf, Meighan, chocokat, FotoosVanRobin, Jon Sullivan, bodhimama, Little Blue Hen

The post Say Goodbye to High Fructose Corn Syrup and Creepy Preservatives appeared first on EcoSalon.

Remember the last time you were at a fancy restaurant, and you were wowed by their fresh, homemade ketchup? Why not make your own? Most condiments require only a few ingredients and a blender or whisk. I did some research and found recipes for six condiments that you can easily make yourself.

• «
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
• 6
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1. Ketchup

Say goodbye to ketchup filled with high fructose corn syrup. This simple ketchup recipe below from Epicurious originally came from Gourmet magazine. Or try this version from tiny morsels food blog for more complex flavor and less brown sugar.

Yield: Makes about 2 cups

Active time: 20 minutes

Total time: 3 hours

Ingredients

• 1 (28-oz) can whole tomatoes in purée

• 1 medium onion, chopped

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 tablespoon tomato paste

• 2/3 cup packed dark brown sugar

• 1/2 cup cider vinegar

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Preparation

1. Purée tomatoes (with purée from can) in a blender until smooth.

2. Cook onion in oil in a four quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring, until softened, about eight minutes. Add puréed tomatoes, tomato paste, brown sugar, vinegar, and salt and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until very thick, about one hour (stir more frequently toward end of cooking to prevent scorching).

3. Purée ketchup in two batches in blender until smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids). Chill, covered, at least two hours (for flavors to develop).

• «
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
• 6
• »

2. Mustard

I found endless mustard recipes. Jump in and have fun experimenting to find what suits your taste. Some mustard recipes require cooking and other don’t. Generally, the mustard needs to rest a few days for the flavors to meld and for the spice to mellow, especially if you’re using mustard seeds as opposed to mustard powder. Be sure to label your jars- mustard should last about one month in the refrigerator. One other note: don’t use metal containers, as mustard can oxidize the metal.

Basic Homemade Mustard Recipe:

• 1 Tbsp brown mustard seeds

• 1 Tbsp yellow mustard seeds

• 1/2 cup dry white wine

• 1/2 cup white wine vinegar

• 1 tsp brown sugar

• 1 tsp mustard flour

1. Soak seeds in wine overnight in a jar on the counter. Next day drain out wine, and reserve for later. Crush seeds. Add in two tsp reserved wine, and two tsp white wine vinegar. Stir, then add in mustard flour and brown sugar.

2. Put in jar and put in fridge, taste in a few days – it takes a couple days for the flavors to really come out.

Recipe and photo from: Meighan

Or, find 148 other mustard recipes, such as Dijon mustard or Beer Mustard here!

• «
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
• 6
• »

3. Mayonnaise

I have to admit for some time I’ve been in the “fear-of-mayonnaise” camp. However, after perusing a number of mayonnaise recipes, I have come to the conclusion that I could very well conquer this fear if I made it myself! Mayonnaise is little more than egg yolk, oil and lemon juice. Try this recipe out below from Gourmet posted on Epicurious.

Homemade Mayonnaise Recipe:

Yield: Makes about 1 cup

Active time: 10 min

Total time: 10 min

Ingredients

• 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature 30 minutes

• 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

• 3/4 cup olive or vegetable oil (or a combination), divided

• 1 teaspoon white-wine vinegar or cider vinegar

• 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

• 1/4 teaspoon white pepper

Preparation

Whisk together yolk, mustard, and 1/4 teaspoon salt until combined well. Add about 1/4 cup oil drop by drop, whisking constantly until mixture begins to thicken. Whisk in vinegar and lemon juice, then add remaining 1/2 cup oil in a very slow, thin stream, whisking constantly until well blended. If at any time it appears that oil is not being incorporated, stop adding oil and whisk mixture vigorously until smooth, then continue adding oil. Whisk in salt to taste and white pepper. Chill, surface covered with plastic wrap, until ready to use.

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• 1
• 2
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• 6
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4. Salsa

Tomato season is drawing near, and there is nothing as fabulous as homemade salsa. It’s also extremely easy to make. Granted, it doesn’t last long in the fridge, but then again, how could something so tasty ever last long? I usually eye-ball the ratios, depending on how many tomatoes I have. The amount of spice depends on the amount of jalapeno you use. Start conservatively, and add more to taste.  Here’s what you need:

Ingredients

• 2-3 ripe tomatoes, diced

• about 1/2 red onion, chopped small

• 1/2 to 1 jalapeno, minced

• 1 garlic clove, minced (optional)

• Juice of 1/2 to 1 lime

• Handful of cleaned cilantro leaves, chopped small

• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

Combine all ingredients. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve with tortilla chips.

• «
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
• 6
• »

5. Goddess Dressing

Salad dressing, as I mentioned in my vinaigrette posting, is something we should all make ourselves. I know a lot of fans of Annie’s Goddess Dressing and when looking for a similar version, I was amazed at the amount of variation from one recipe to the next. The recipe I’ve included below seems like a good take. I also found numerous other Tahini-style dressings. This very simple Tahini-Miso Dressing from Kitchn is one I plan to try.

Ingredients:

• 2 Tablespoons plain sesame oil or olive oil

• 1/4 cup toasted sesame oil (not plain sesame oil)

• 1/2 cup tahini

• 2 Tablespoons red wine or apple cider vinegar

• 1/4 cup water

• 4 green onions (white and green parts)

• 1 Tablespoon lemon juice

• 1 Tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon shoyu or tamari (soy sauce)

• 4 fresh garlic cloves

• 2 teaspoons sesame seeds (toast them first if desired)

• 2 sprigs parsley (leaves only)

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Preparation:

1. Combine everything in a blender or food processor.

2. Taste to adjust flavors, if too thick, add water 1 tbs at a time until it’s the consistency you prefer.

3. Add a tsp more vinegar or soy for a stronger flavor.

4. A tsp more toasted sesame oil will add a “richer” flavor.

5. Store in the fridge in a jar with a tight fitting lid.

• «
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
• 6
• »

6. Peanut Butter

This simple peanut butter recipe sounds delicious. Serve with your favorite homemade jam or fruit preserves.

Recipe from: Little Blue Hen food blog

Homemade Peanut Butter Recipe:

Yields about 1.5 cups of peanut butter

Note: The darker you roast your peanuts, the more intense the flavor. We prefer a bit lighter roast, but you may not. Using a darker pan will make the peanuts toast faster, so times are approximate. I had to process mine in batches because I have a small-capacity food processor. If you have a 12-cup bowl it will probably work in one go.

Ingredients

• 2 cups (about 13 ounces) raw peanuts

• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1 teaspoon honey

• 2 tablespoons peanut or neutral-flavored oil

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Spread peanuts in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake at 350F for about 10 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally. Peanuts are done when they are just golden brown and fragrant. Remove from oven and let cool.

2. When peanuts are cool enough to handle, rub them between your hands to loosen the skins. Place peanuts in a salad spinner to separate skins from peanuts.

3. If crunchy peanut butter is desired, reserve 1/4-1/2 cup of the peanuts. In the bowl of a food processor, combine peanuts, honey, and salt. If the capacity of your food processor is small, work in two or three batches. Pulse a few times to break up the peanuts, then drizzle in some oil. Process until smooth. If making crunchy peanut butter, chop reserved peanuts and stir in.

4. Store refrigerated in an air-tight jar (an old peanut jar works really well) for up to a month.

Images: Chiot’s Run, tiny morsels,  kochtopf, Meighan, chocokat, FotoosVanRobin, Jon Sullivan, bodhimama, Little Blue Hen

The post Say Goodbye to High Fructose Corn Syrup and Creepy Preservatives appeared first on EcoSalon.