Roasted Tomato & Tomatillo Salsa

For a long time I wondered what those little husk-covered, tomato-looking green things were next to the tomatoes in the produce section of the grocery called tomatillos. After reading about their sweet, apple-like flavor, I had to give them a try! This refreshing mild salsa makes a delicious accompaniment to steak or chicken grilled on the BBQ on a warm summer evening because it's not too hot or heavy. I slice the grilled meat thin and serve this along side or as a sauce. Also, it is a wonderful dip for vegetables, apple or pear wedges, baked tortillas or pita chips. As a low-carb snack, I love to spoon it onto colby-jack cheese slices! Any way you use it, I think you'll find its slightly sweet and tangy flavor delightful.

My Roasted Tomato & Tomatillo Salsa (Makes about 1 cup, serves 4)

½ pound tomatillos, about 6 or 8 depending on size (with husks removed)
2 plum tomatoes
½ small red onion
1 jalapeño (or only ½ jalapeño needed for mild salsa)
½ tablespoon olive or canola oil
1 teaspoon dark brown sugar
½ tablespoon rice vinegar
½ tablespoon lime juice
1/8 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Ground pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 400-degrees. Remove husks from tomatillos, rinse and pat dry. Cut tomatillos in half and place on a baking sheet.

2. While protecting your hands from the oils, cut jalapeño in half and remove seeds and veins. Cut off stem and add to tomatillo in baking pan. (If you like your salsa very hot, just remove stem but do not cut it half or remove seeds.)

3. Cut red onion into 1” chunks and add to baking pan. Cut 1 plum tomato in half and add to baking pan with other vegetables. (Set other plum tomato aside.) Drizzle vegetables with oil and toss to coat. Season with a little salt and pepper, if desired. Roast vegetables in hot oven for 30 minutes, turning once, or until skins begin to char and take on some color. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 15 minutes.

4. Decide on heat level of salsa by choosing ½ roasted jalapeño for mild, the whole jalapeño for medium or the jalapeño with seeds for hot. Put roasted vegetables, brown sugar, rice vinegar, lime juice, salt and pepper into a food processor and chop to desired consistency. If you like your salsa chunky, do not over chop. Remove salsa from processor to serving bowl.

5. Take remaining uncooked plum tomato, cut into several pieces and place into food processor. Chop only until cut into a chunky consistency and add to salsa and mix together. Serve at room temperature or cold. Refrigerate any leftovers.

Nutritional information per ¼ cup serving (salsa only): 29 calories, 6.5 g carbohydrates, 0.5 g fat, 1.4 g fiber, 0.8 g protein

Original recipe by Kathy Sheehan, copyright 2009