Avocado Tomatillo Salsa

If you grew up in Iowa then you’ve no doubt visited the Amana Colonies and all the lovely little shops throughout Amana. I went once as a kid and remember the famous giant rocking chair, watched someone weave a basket, and loaded up on a bag of cool colored stones. Not exactly Disneyworld or anything too exciting, but an experience nonetheless.

I decided to visit again now that I’m older and can nerd out and appreciate things like woodworking, cutlery, craft beer, pickled things, and canning. We left with tons of delicious snacks and about 7 jars of pickled goods and salsa, which brings me to the inspiration for this recipe. I had a jar of avocado tomatillo salsa that was as addicting as it was hot and I quickly regretted not grabbing 3-4 more jars of it. Not wanting to do the 2 hour drive AGAIN so soon, I opted for making my own version which was just as tasty!

Fresh tomatillos and creamy avocados blended in with cilantro, lime juice, garlic, and of course the spicy heat from a serrano pepper make for a beautifully bold green salsa that’s simple to make.. so when you devour the first batch in a day or two (or in an hour or two) you can make another!

(makes 4-6 servings – more than enough for a 1 pint canning jar)

Ingredients:

2-3 garlic cloves

3 medium tomatillios, husked, stem removed, and quartered

1 avocado, skin and pit removed

1 serrano pepper, stem removed and cut into small chunks

1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves

Juice from half a lime

Salt and pepper to taste

Toss the garlic cloves into a food processor or blender and puree until they’re minced. Add tomatillos and puree until smooth. Add avocado, serrano, cilantro leaves, lime juice, and a bit of salt and pepper. Puree until completely mixed and smooth, stopping once to scrape down the sides of the processor. Transfer to a bowl and serve right away. You can also transfer to a sealing jar or container and store in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Enjoy!