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Salsa de Tomatillo con Chipotle

Photo of tomatillo chipotle salsa in a bowl with a spoon surrounded by three tamales.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton

This smoky chipotle and tomatillo salsa is an excellent dipping sauce for crudités or tortilla chips, or you can spoon it on top of tamales. You can use more chiles for a spicier sauce.

Ingredients

½ pound fresh tomatillos, husks removed (about 6 large tomatillos)
1-2 canned chiles chipotles en adobo
½ small white onion, finely chopped
½ teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
Pinch of sugar, or to taste

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Place the tomatillos in a small saucepan, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Simmer, uncovered, until they change color, about 5 minutes. Drain, reserving ½ cup of the liquid. 2. Place the chipotle chiles (with the sauce that clings to them) in a blender or food processor fitted with the steel blade with the tomatillos, reserved ½ cup liquid, white onion, and oregano. Process until smoothly puréed, about 1 minute. Taste the sauce; season with salt and a pinch or two of sugar.

    Step 2

    Salsa be stored, tightly covered, in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days.

Illustrated image for cover of Food From My Heart cookbook.
Reprinted with permission from Food from My Heart: Cuisines of Mexico Remembered and Reimagined © 1995 by Zarela Martínez. Published by Wiley. Buy the full book on Amazon.
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