Roasted Tomatillo - Cilantro Salsa

What would rice and beans be without salsa? For that matter, roasted vegetables, a taco, a burrito, an enchillada, a tortilla chip, a taquito....? Salsa is the exclamation point. Salsa is sassy and hot. Salsa can make a bland meal special. Today it's Tomatillo Salsa.

Again I have gone to Fresh Mexico by Marcela Valladolid for the recipe. I modified it just a little. Her's calls for Chicken broth, and I left it out.

Salsa Verde (green sauce)

1 1/2 pounds tomatillos, husked, rinsed and halved

2 smal onions, quartered

1 serrano chile, halved, stemmed, and seeded

(A serrano, remember is twice as hot as a jalepeno pepper, today my serrano made my eyes water just cutting it in half and seeding it - steaming hot.)

2 tablespoons olive oil

Salt and Pepper to taste

One head garlic, wrapped tightly in aluminum foil

1/2 avocado, halved, pitted, peeled and diced

3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

preheat oven to 350 degrees F

Put the tomatillos, onions and serrano chile on a baking sheet, all cut side up. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkel generously with salt and pepper. Put the foil wrapped garlic on the same baking sheet.

 Roast for 45 minutes, or until the garlic and vegetables are soft and the edges of the vegetables are beginning to brown. Let cool.

Transfer the tomatillos, onions and serrano chile to a blender. Unwrap the garlic and squeeze the garlic cloves from their papery skins into the blender. Puree to a chunky texture. It doesn't take long.

Before serving, fold the avocado and cilantro into the salsa, and season to taste with salt and pepper. You don't have to wait for a meal, just grab a bag of chips and dig in.