How to make chile verde with turkey thigh meat and homemade tomatillo salsa verde.
Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer
We have an abundance of tomatillos in our garden this year.
A couple volunteers from last year’s crop that are having a good time of it as well.
Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer
Are you familiar withtomatillos?
They look like small-ish green tomatoes, but surrounded by a papery husk.
The best thing to make with them issalsa verde, or green salsa.
Elise Bauer
By the way, chile verde made in state of New Mexico is made with Hatch green chiles.
Chile verde made in most of Mexico is made with tomatillos.
It’s the tomatillo salsa verde that makes the dish green.
Elise Bauer
So, same name, different dish.
The dish we’re working on today is the tomatillo variety.
I have found that turkey needs more help, when it comes to seasoning, than pork.
Elise Bauer
It also greatly benefits from a little smoky flavor.
But the amounts are just guidelines, and depend so much on your specific ingredients, and taste.
Taste the tomatillo sauce after you blend it.
Elise Bauer
If it needs more heat, blend in some of the jalapeno seeds.
** If you’re able to only get bone-in, skin-on, that’s okay.
Remove the skin and discard or save it to use it to make turkey bacon.
Elise Bauer
Remove the bone when the meat is cooked and shred the meat from the bone.
Remove the chiles from the bag, remove the charred skin, the stem and the seeds.
(For a step-by-step, seeHow to roast chile peppers over a gas flame.)
Elise Bauer
Remove the papery husks from the tomatillos.
Rinse the tomatillos with water (they may be a little sticky).
Slice the tomatillos in half and place cut-side-down on a roasting pan lined with aluminum foil.
Elise Bauer
Toss the garlic cloves (peel on) in with the tomatillos.
Cook under a broiler until lightly browned, about 5-7 minutes.
Let cool to the touch, then remove the garlic cloves from their skins.
Elise Bauer
Start on a low speed and then increase the blender speed and puree until smooth.
Set aside (can make a day ahead and refrigerate until needed).
Pat dry with paper towels.
Elise Bauer
Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Remove with a slotted spoon to a bowl.
Add the garlic, cook for 30 seconds more.
Return the turkey to the pot.
Add the tomatillo sauce and the chicken stock.
Add the chipotle powder, oregano, bay leaves, and ground clove.
Add a teaspoon of salt, and a little freshly ground black pepper.
Cook for 3 to 4 hours, uncovered, until the turkey is tender.
If at some point you think that too much liquid is going to evaporate, cover the pan.
Otherwise keep it uncovered.
You want the sauce to become more concentrated.
Adjust seasonings to taste.
You may need to add more salt than you would expect.
Or serve with rice and beans, or wrapped up in a large flour tortilla, burrito style.
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Links:
Pork chile verdefrom here on Simply Recipes
