Tomatillo Chipotle Salsa

This is a traditional combination of ingredients. I wanted something in between a straight tomatillo based salsa verde (green) and the typical tomato based salsa roja (red) found in taquerias.
The proportions are approximate – keep adding chipotles until the sauce has enough bite for you.
This sauce will keep about a week in the refrigerator.
Definitely NOT found at Chipotle *cough*mexican*cough*.

INGREDIENTS

• 8 oz. fresh tomatillos - husked and rinsed
• 4 ea. chipotle chiles, en adobo
• 6 ea. garlic cloves, in husk
• 1/2 tsp. salt or to taste

PREPARATION

- Heat up a skillet to medium flame, then place the tomatillos stem end down along with the garlic cloves. When the garlic cloves start to turn brown, turn everything over. Cook until cloves are brown then remove from heat. Remove husks from garlic cloves and cut out any tough stems from tomatillos.

- Place all ingredients in a blender jar and blend until smooth. Place in refrigerator overnight to ‘bloom’ and to disperse the chipotle heat.

- Taste, adjust salt and add more chipotle if desired.

Alcaparrado (Puerto Rican olive salad)

To my surprise there is not an alcaparrado recipe on the Daisy Martinez web site, her book, any of my cookbooks or anyplace else I can quickly search. Therefore from the ingredient list on the (sometimes unavailable and mediocre) store bought kind I deduced the following recipe.

Besides usage in Puerto Rican dishes, it makes a good ‘starter’ olive salad for a Muffuletta sandwich especially if you add a little pepperoncini, white onion and oregano.

INGREDIENTS

• 10 oz. green 'salad' olives, pitted and chopped (1)
• 4 oz. small capers, chopped
• 1/2 fresh red bell pepper, minced or 4 oz. jarred roasted red pepper, minced (2)
• 1/2 c. red wine or white vinegar or more to taste
• 1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper or to taste

PREPARATION

- In the olive oil sweat the fresh pepper (if used) until soft or thoroughly blister in a gas flame, steam in paper bag then peel.

- Add the vinegar, olives, capers and black pepper and mix thoroughly.

- Heat until just simmering, then remove from heat.

Notes:
(1) – By definition salad olives are pitted to make your life easier. Beware of most stuffed olives–the so called pimientos are usually awful and should not be used.
(2) – Try to find good domestic roasted peppers without too much vinegar–I like Durkee’s brand in 28 oz. can if available. The very small jars of pimentos are overpriced and usually tasteless.