- 8 ounces (5 or 6 medium) fresh tomatillos, husked and washed
- OR one 13-ounce can tomatillos, drained
- Fresh hot green chiles to taste (roughly 2 chiles serranos or 1 chile jalapeno), stemmed
- 5 or 6 sprigs fresh coriander (cilantro), roughly chopped
- ½ small onion, chopped
- Salt, about ½ teaspoon
- The tomatillos: Boil fresh tomatillos in salted water to cover until barely tender, 8 to 10 minutes; drain. Canned tomatillos only need to be drained.
- The puree: Place the tomatillos in a blender or food processor. If you want a milder sauce, seed the chile(s), then chop into small bits and add to the tomatillos along with the coriander and chopped onion; if using a blender, stir well. Blend or process to a coarse puree.
- Finishing the sauce: Scrape into a sauce dish, thin to medium-thick consistency with about ¼ cup water, then season with salt. Let stand for about ½ hour before serving, for the flavors to blend. Traditional Variations
- Traditional Variations
- Chunky Tomatillo Sauce: Prepare the sauce as described, finely chopping the chile, onion and coriander, then adding them to the blended tomatillos. If the chopped onion is rinsed, the sauce will sour less quickly.
- All-Raw Tomatillo Relish: Prepare the sauce with chopped raw tomatillos, adding ¼ cup water before blending. Taste for salt and stir in additional water, if needed.