Faux Tomatillo Sauce
This chile pepper is often mislabeled ‘Pasilla’, which is a different pepper entirely.It is one of the most popular chiles in Mexico and has won the appreciation of many a chef worldwide because of the superior flavor it has over regular bell peppers.
They have a tough outer skin that usually requires roasting and peeling before use. These very large chile peppers are most popular in chiles rellenos recipes, but cooking with these as a substitute for bell peppers in any recipe will enhance the flavor.
Servings: makes 4 cups
INGREDIENTS
20 small green tomatoes, green tops cut off and sliced in half
1 large yellow onion, cut in a large dice
6-8 large garlic cloves, whole
1 poblano pepper, seeded and ribbed, cut in a large dice
1 cup water
2 limes, juiced
1/2 cup fresh cilantro
2 tsp ground cumin (to taste–you can add more or less)
2 tsp ground coriander (to taste–you can add more or less)
1 tsp dried oregano (to taste–you can add more or less)
salt and pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place first group of ingredients (tomatoes through poblano pepper) in a large bowl, cover with olive oil (about 1/2 cup), salt and pepper. Pour into a shallow pan and roast in the oven for 45-60 minutes; keep an eye on things so they don’t burn–if the garlic cooks too quickly and burns, it’ll turn bitter.
Pour roasted ingredients into a blender and add the second group of ingredients. Pulse until desired consistency–you can have it as smooth or as chunky as you like. Add more or less water to help your consistency.
From meatlessmain.com