Since relocating to North Jersey and away from our beloved taco truck (Looking at you Tacos al Carbon in Hammonton, NJ) and our favorite Mexican restaurants (El Mariachi Loco and Tortilleria Rancho Grande) we have been on the search for great Mexican food. I have to be honest, the search has been rough. I have even adopted the title “Meh-xican” when referring to the food that we’ve sampled throughout the region. There have been a few honorable mentions, or the places that are good enough. They’ve been missing something. Well two things really. Tacos al Pastor and great Salsa Verde.

I’ve tried buying every kind of Salsa Verde. They’ve all failed miserably. Overly lime-ladened, lack of cilantro, and overly watery are our biggest complaints. I decided it was time to take matters into my own hands. I was determined to make Salsa Verde that was more reminiscent of what I had found at home in South Jersey. I recalled a conversation I had with one of the waitresses at El Mariachi Loco. She said what made their’s special was the fact they used avocado and a touch of crema.

WHAT? There’s avocado in this? I couldn’t believe it. I’m going to let you in on a secret, I don’t like avocado. I don’t do avocado toast, if it’s on my sandwich I feed it to the dogs. Stop gasping, my mother would cringe if she could see me. I searched and found this killer salsa verde recipe on Peas and Crayons‘ blog. This became the basis of my Salsa Verde Experiment #3 that was a part of our Foodie Staycation (details to follow in a later post).

So here’s my adaption on Peas and Crayons killer recipe. TRUST me this is the good stuff and worth the time. If you want to be vegan or dairy free, totally leave out the crema.

Salsa Verde- makes 2 cups

Prep time- 15 minutes

For best taste refrigerate overnight

6 Tomatillos

1 large Jalapeno pepper**

2 ripe avocados

1-1 1/2 limes

3/4 c well washed cilantro, roughly chopped

1/2 c chopped onion, (whatever you have around will suffice, as long as it is not a Vidalia)

2 garlic cloves smashed

1/2 tsp of salt or a couple of cranks of sea salt

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp cumin

1/4 c Mexican Crema or substitute with sour cream if you can’t find it

Steps:

1. Remove the husks from the tomatillos, wash to remove the sticky residue that remains from the husks, cut and quarter, place in the basin of your food processor. (I love my Cuisinart 13 Cup Food Processor)
2. Remove the stem of the pepper and the seeds. Coursely chop and add to the bain of the food processor. ** If you want spicy I suggest getting older jalapenos that you can see a brown vein/lines on the outside. Older peppers mean more spice!
3. Cut the avocados around the pit and twist to separate the two halves. Remove the pit. Use a spoon to remove the flesh, add to the food processor
4. Wash and pat dry your cilantro. Check for sand. I find that cilantro from various markets can be extremely sandy. I soak it then rinse it. Coursely chop. I typically cut the cilantro where the leaves end and just toss the tops in. (There was a time I’d remove the leaves but who has time for that?)
5. Roll the lime on the kitchen counter using pressure. This will increase the amount of juice extracted. Cut the time in half and squeeze into a smaller bowl. Remove the seeds and add to the basin. Start with just one lime you can always add more later. I find squeezing the lime with this little tool extracts more juice!
6. Chop the onion and add to the basin of the food processor
7. Smash the clove of garlic with the side of your knife, or simply use the heel of your hand. Peel the garlic and toss it in the food processor.
8. Add salt, cumin and garlic right to the basin. I prefer sea salt and high quality cumin from Penzeys.
9. Puree to your desired consistency. Start with 10 pulses, scrape the sides, then pulse 10 more times. Take a taste- you can adjust the time and salt at this point. If you like a thinner salsa, add a little water until it is at your desired consistency.
10. Pour into a non-reactive container and cover. Refrigerate overnight.
11. When serving add the crema or sour cream if using. Otherwise enjoy with a quality chip!