Salsa Verde, Muy Rapido

Sure the canned and bottled green salsas are generally very good, but why not create a batch at home now and then to appreciate the fresh difference? Below is the simplest and shortest version we know but still long on flavor; roasting the vegetables first mellows out the sharp notes of onion, garlic and tomatilloes.

Place a pound of tomatilloes (papery husks discarded) and 1 chopped onion and 2 cloves of whole garlic on a baking sheet. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. If the tomatilloes are large, cut them in half. Toss all with olive oil and some kosher salt and roast about 10 minutes. Scrape all roasted veggies into a blender and process till smooth with a bit of water or vegetable stock. Season to taste with salt and a pinch or two of sugar. Reheat gently for 10 minutes after adding some ground cumin and dried or fresh oregano. You may also add chopped cilantro and minced green chile peppers at this point.

Use as a dip for chips, as a condiment or a sauce for enchiladas. Above Cafe Drake employed this versatile sauce for the latter, or Lazy Enchiladas as we call them - warm tortillas dipped in hot green sauce, folded and topped with crumbled cheese, peppers and sour cream. Maybe Deconstructed Enchiladas sounds better.