Tomatillo Salsa

Dear Devon,

One my favorite local eateries is a cheap taqueria. It's the kind of restaurant that barely squeezes eight tables into a hole in the wall. A large grill is set up at the front and a colorful jukebox hangs on the wall. The smell of oil, chorizo, and beef hangs thick in the air. Some of my female friend refuse to eat there because they can't stand the oily residue in their hair. For me, it is a small price to pay for the delicious offerings of tacos, enchiladas, and grilled meats.


The salsas are one of their biggest attractions. Each table receives a set of three brightly colored salsas. Their green chili salsa- brimming with ripe avocados- is usually the first to go. Flecks of dark green pepper are fair warning that this salsa packs some serious heat. Lucky for us, the large chunks of smooth avocado balance the heat of the peppers. My burning tongue is temporarily soothed, and the avocado encourages me to dig deeper into the allures of the bright green salsa. With my face in full flush, my nose running, and lips burning, I call for a frosty beer an arm's reach away to extinguish the fire.

That's the thing about spicy foods: The heat doesn't stop you from eating- when it's good, it only drives you to be bolder. Gladys, my college roommate, has an amazing ability to endure the spiciest of foods. She once won a jalapeno eating contest. Chili covered dried mangoes is a favorite snack of hers. She would tear up from the sheer heat of the spice, but she couldn't bring herself to stop. My green salsa is no where near as spicy as that, but it does pack plenty of punch.


Gladys also taught me about tomatillos. Her mom makes the best tamales. I would eat them ice cold from the fridge, two, sometimes three at a time. While she didn't teach me this salsa recipe, it was inspired by one of her sauces for enchiladas (a common request among my friends) and the green chili salsa at our taqueria. The resulting salsa made from blending fire roasted tomatillos with onion and jalapeno is tangy, spicy, fresh, and an all-around crowd pleaser. The recipe makes about 3 cups and lasts about 40 minutes. My boyfriend will put it on everything from eggs to crackers, chips or over rice, and sometimes eats it straight from the bowl with a big spoon. The other night we topped some chicken tacos with this fresh and unusal salsa. I make an extra big batch for snacking during the week, but somehow I doubt it will last that long.


Tomatillo Salsa
makes 4 cups

5 tomatillos
1/2 onion, quartered
half jalapeno pepper
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp lime juice
3/4 cup water
1 avocado, diced

Remove the papery skins from the tomatillos. Wash under warm water. Heat a large cast iron pan. Halve a jalapeno pepper. It is absolutely necessary to test the jalapeno for spiciness before adding to any dish. Heat a large cast iron pan. Place tomatillos and halved pepper directly onto the pan. As each side darkens, rotate to evenly brown every side. Roast in the pan until the skins become black and blistered.

Quarter half an onion. In the workbowl of a food processor, add the roasted tomatillos, pepper, onion, water, lime juice, and salt. Puree until smooth. If it's a bit chunky that's fine. For a smoother consistency, use a blender. Pour into a large bowl.

Halve an avocado and remove the large pit. Score the flesh, cutting the avocado into 1/2 inch dice. With a large spoon, scoop out the scored fruit. Fold avocado into the pureed salsa mixture. Pour into festive serving bowl.

Kale and Avocado Salad

Dear Devon,

Ever since trying kale and avocado salad at the uptown Whole Foods, I've been obsessed with this salad. I immediately bought the requisite ingredients, and began tinkering in the kitchen. My first two attempts were good, but I knew I could improve it. Two weeks later, I have what I think is a pretty darn good salad. Since the salad consists of only a few ingredients with minimal seasoning, fresh, high-quality vegetables are a must. Try to pick kale and avocados at the peak of ripeness. Avoid wilted leaves, limp stalks, and bruised fruits. Limp greens are not appetizing.


Some diners might object to the coarse and chewy texture of raw kale. I find that once you get over the sense that you are a horse chewing on straw, it's not so bad. To avoid this unsavory texture, allow the kale to marinate in the dressing for about 20 minutes before serving. The citrus juices will break down the tough fibers of the kale, softening the leaves. Stalks with smaller leaves yield a tenderer bite. The nutritional benefits of kale are numerous, running the gamut from lowering your risk for certain types of cancer to preventing rheumatoid arthritis or cataract disease. These health benefits are pretty convincing, but in the end, I eat kale mainly because I love the taste.

Blood oranges are a recent, happy discovery. I have eaten them before, but only in Europe. I don't often see them here in the States, so when I saw some plump blood oranges at the market, I grabbed them. Unfortunately, I don't think the season for blood oranges is quite here. The oranges brightened the flavors and freshened the salad significantly, but they weren't as juicy as they will probably be later in the summer. Nonetheless, I would still advise using some sort of citrus fruit, whether it be pink grapefruit, tangerine, or orange. The citrus brings nice color to the plate and when mixed with a lime juice based dressing, produces an unusual flavor, light with a sweet tang.

I like to segment my oranges directly over the salad bowl so that I can collect all the precious juice. After removing all the segments, I give the pulpy membranes a hearty squeeze, to extract every last drop. On top of the fresh juice, a squeeze of lime, olive oil, sesame oil, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Kale and avocado are added directly to the serving bowl and gently tossed. Be careful not to bruise the avocado. While the dressing sets, I cut up some bread and pass out napkins. Allowing the salad to rest is important. It helps break down the leaves while also encourages the avocado to melt into the dressing. The end result is a subtle citrus-avocado infused dressing, studded with vibrant red-orange fruit, dark green kale, and chunky avocado bits. When I look at my salad, I think that summer must be calling.

Kale and Avocado Salad
serves 2

4 stalks fresh kale
1 avocado
1 blood red orange
3 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp sesame oil
juice of 1/2 lime
large pinch of salt

Segment one blood orange over your serving bowl. To segment, remove the top and bottom of the orange. With the orange sitting upright on its cut end, run the edge of the knife down the length of the orange to remove the rind and white pith. Holding the orange in the palm of your hand, run the edge of your knife in between the white membranes. What should emerge is a clean orange slice, free of any white pith or rind. Give the resulting membranes a hard squeeze. Add the juice of half a lime. Whisk in sesame oil, olive oil, and a large pinch of salt and pepper.

Thoroughly wash kale leaves. Sometimes dirt and mud cling to the leaves and stalks. Don't want that in your salad. Remove the leaves from the stalks and cut into 1 1/2 inch wide strips. Cube avocado. Add the kale, cubed avocado, and segmented oranges into the serving bowl. Gently toss with a large wooden spoon. Set aside for 20 minutes before serving.